How it happened
by MariIvyFenta
Summary: Sequel is up! How Vegeta found a queen on earth. The Prince of Saiyans struggles with his past, his perceived failings, the battle between his ego and his instincts tearing at his pride from two sides and the rejection Bulma unwittingly gave him. A slightly different version of how things happened from the anime.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

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AN: Updated! I didn't realize I had so many errors in the first two paragraphs... that's what I get for adding that tiny piece of history their third interaction then posting it at 2 am after I shut down the bar. I will be reviewing my published chapters before I post the next few on Tuesday and i promise to do better with not publishing in the middle of the night as I seem to fuck up. After closing up I'll stick to writing ONLY!

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He could remember the moment it had happened. She was standing there rambling on about birds and eggs. Trying to explain how the boy's father and the bald one couldn't be brought back to life because they'd come back in the rubble of the planet Namek. It struck him how differently she saw life, how intelligent, gentle and beautiful she was. He watched as she struggled with her emotions, her ki shuddered and he could almost feel her sadness. It caused a pang of something he pushed away immediately.

Then, without thinking, he offered her the answer she needed. The smile he received in thanks was stunning, he couldn't think straight. Before he knew it he'd taken her offer and stayed at Capsule Corp for a 130 days before taking off into the depths of space

Now, upon his return to earth after failing to find Kakarot. He felt like the lowest of beings, upon his entire return journey to the little backwater planet. Landing that ship and stepping out, there she was - her turquoise hair a ridiculously looking ball of fluff on the top of her head - yelling at him. He was a fool for cutting it so close with the fuel, a jerk for being careless with _her_ spaceship, an asshole for not answering her calls and a heartless bastard for disabling the com-systems. Fisting his hair with both hands, he groaned in frustration at his abundant failures. Opening his mouth, about to comment on her bad hair day, she cut him off and didn't let him get a word in. Informing him how awful he smelled and to follow her and she would see him settled. Stunned at her audacity the prince took the opportunity sniffing at himself when she turned and marched away. He nearly gagged. The woman was right he needed to bath. He smelled as bad as Nappa after an intense battle.

Inside, the dwelling hadn't changed except for the color of the flowers around the house. Bulma led Vegeta to the same room he'd used before. Taking a much more docile tone with him she informed him she had worried and his rudeness forced her to monitor the ship without knowing if he was alive or not, and even though he hadn't stayed a week, his quarters were still how he'd left them. Say for a few additions. Not wanting to know why she cared so much, Vegeta pushed her aside with a gentleness that made her jump when she feared he might use too much force. Ignoring her reaction and the strange pang the smell of her fear cause him, Vegeta shut the door behind him with a slam and headed for the adjacent bathroom. His stomach has furiously empty and he couldn't eat smelling like this. Turning the water on as hot as it could go he stripped out of his clothing, piling it in the corner of the tiled room. A ki ball flew from his palm, incinerating the garments. The prince not wanting them to stink up his home.

Home?

Earth wasn't his home, Vegeta didn't have a home.

He continued to ponder the past year of his life as he showered. What had he accomplished? This was his second chance was he wasting it? Was his stubborn pride worth all the humiliation he was suffering? He was free, for the first time in his life Vegeta was his own man and could do anything! Did he need to be the strongest, the best? Was there more to life than strength and power? Who was he kidding? The only thing he knew was violence and suffering. Why did he deserve anything else? What was so great about things like homes and familial relationships?

Bulma's words replayed through his head she had worried about him. No one had bothered to care about his well-being since his father had tried to save him. Even that he hadn't learned until the day he died. Knowing his father had cared for him, had changed something in Vegeta, and returning to life and here on this mudball of a planet, made him feel that this was his second chance at more than power and pain. Then he remembered her reaction to his touch and he growled as the pang in his gut twisted and he cursed himself. Why did it bother him so much that she was still scared of him? Wasn't the entire point of the power he was chasing to make himself universally feared and respected? He didn't want _her_ to fear him though and that feeling confused him.

The more the subject vexed him Vegeta found her fear contradicted itself. She feared his physical touch, but not incurring his wrath with her words. The woman challenged him to act like the royalty he was and not some debased creature. He wanted to show her he had manners and that he respected her for her fearless approach of him, even if she coward from his touch. He frowned, knowing he wanted her to know he'd never harm her, that she did not need to fear his hand. The idea of using his strength against her left the taste of bile in his mouth. At the same time, the thought of her accepting his touch stirred his instincts and a certain part of his anatomy in a way he wasn't comfortable with. Why did he have these reactions to the mere idea of her? She was just a pathetically weak earthling, and he was the prince a great and ancient warrior race! She was just a female. One who had given him shelter and food, showed concern for him, expressed care for him, had given him a home. A place he could come back to when he felt like a failure, and only judged him for how much he smelled. He chuckled at that thought but quickly soured. What made him think he deserved such things? Stamping down the instincts he learned to suppress half his life ago he exited the shower and looked for the "additions" the woman had mentioned.

In his wardrobe, Vegeta found thin and pointless earth clothes and new armor. The top drawer filled with socks, undergarments and tank tops in white and black. The second drawer had flight suits, divided into sleeved and sleeveless styles all in the same dark navy. The third drawer held athletic pants and shorts, the fourth and final was for jeans and slacks. The prince scoffed at all the _Earth_ clothing, even though he chose to wear a pair of tight undergarments and loose-fitting athletic pants with a black tank top. As he stood he saw that on the bookshelf there was a photo of a woman standing beside an air bike. Upon closer inspection, he recognized it as Bulma when she has an adolescent, no doubt. Her hair was in a side ponytail and braided. she wore a pink dress with blue shorts underneath, there was a tiny Kakarot in the lower corner and it looked like she was yelling at him. he couldn't hold back the chuckle and told himself it was only because Kakarot was being scolded by her wicked tongue. The thought of her tongue made him groan as he felt a part of buried deep inside himself stirred again.

Laying the photo down on its face he headed for the door, he still needed food. Stepping out he was hit by a faint scent that seemed to cling to him, it was enticing and alluring. He followed it into the kitchen where he found the blonde woman and _her. _The smell of the food they were preparing flooded his senses and before he could announce himself his stomach growled angrily. Both women stopped and looked at him, then giggled as they turned back to the task of preparing a meal to hide their flushed faces. Vegeta stood there annoyed but grateful they had turned away not witnessing his embarrassment. Bulma grabbed a plate and filled it with several of the different things that had been heated up and set it down at the table for him. all he could do was watch her as she set it down and walked away.

When he didn't move for the heaping plate Bulma turned back and tipped her head to the side looking at him questioningly. "Eat up there is plenty more," she said.

That was the moment he knew what she was but refused to admit it to himself. Her voice lifting like a song to his ears, and the scent he had followed down the stairs wafted from her made him glade he chose to wear those damn earthling undergarments. Swallowing the lump in his throat he met her gaze for a second before looking away and taking his seat. His instincts howled at him to do _something_ but he squashed them again and began eating the meal she had prepared.

Humming in contemplation over his strange behavior Bulma returned to her mother's side.

Panchy had watched the entire interaction from the corner of her eye. Smiling and humming a song she mused over what her grandchildren might look like. Hoping the two would be able to overcome their stubborn natures and accept how great they actually could be together. If Vegeta could get over his own pride and come to terms with the feelings he was repressing, and her daughter would ditch Yamcha. Panchy liked the z fighter well enough but he wasn't good enough for her Bulma. The prince, on the other hand, he had potential. Yamcha was just a baller, a former bandit, Vegeta was a prince.

As if thinking about the former dessert bandit made him appear. Panchy smiled stupidly at Yamcha as he entered the kitchen from the living room in search of another beer.

Yamcha returned the bright smile from Mrs. Briefs. Sometimes he wondered if anything went on in the head of the blonde bombshell that was his long time girlfriend's mother. Sauntering into the kitchen the Zfighter froze. Sitting at the table stuffing his face with the third plate was the egomaniac, Vegeta. With Bulma, _his_ woman dropping off a fourth.

It really burned him up. This _alien_, this mass-murdering psychopath didn't deserve Bulma's attention, but she and her mother doted on him regardless. Even though he didn't offer anything, he just hung around and ate enough food to feed a small army. It didn't help matters that Bulma found this nut job attractive.

Yamcha had been so mad when he'd learned that Vegeta had been living at Capsule Corp while he had still been in the afterlife, and right down the hall from Bulma's room! They'd had a huge fight and broke up less than a month after he'd been bright back to life. In the end, Yamcha had forgiven Bulma and thinking they had seen the last of Vegeta put the entire event behind them. Then she had to tell him about her dream where Vegeta returned to Earth and she had kissed the egomaniac. Yamcha couldn't stand it that the Saiyan had actually returned.

Now, Vegeta was just sitting there rubbing Yamcha's face in his own jealously, and it drove the Zfighter crazy. Bulma should be doting on him not that sorry excuse for a prince.

Vegeta could feel the eyes on the back of his head. Ignoring it until he finished his plate, Vegeta peered over his shoulder and sneered at the weak and pathetic earthling. He remembered this one, a Saibaman had self-destructed and killed this weakling when he and Nappa had first landed.

"You should take a picture, it'll last you longer," Vegeta smirked and turned back to his food.

"Your right," Yamcha said, "your looks are fading fast old man." Feeling triumphant the Zfighter preened at his quick-witted comeback.

Vegeta didn't care what this earthlings problem had been, he was going to make a whole host of new ones for the weakling. Standing up so fast his chair flew into the wall and splintered, the prince was in front of the taller man in the blink of an eye.

"What the fuck did you just say!? I dare you to say it again you pathetic excuse for a warrior. Go on say it so I can rip your-"

"VEGETA!"

Bulma knew this wasn't going to end well as soon as Vegeta stopped eating to look over his shoulder at Yamcha, and of course, Yamcha just had to be giving a death stare to the back of Vegeta's head at that moment. Really, did Yamcha have a death wish? The only thing Bulma hadn't expected was the chair to shatter like glass when Vegeta got up. The mini explosion had scared both Bulma and her mother into immobility for a hot second. Recovering quicker than her mom Bulma panicked and yelled hoping she could prevent bloodshed in front of her mom, the woman might already faint from Vegeta's choice of words. Calling Vegeta down was the only chance her boyfriend had of surviving.

Yamcha was smug at first when Bulma screamed at the alien warrior. That quickly faded when he saw the softness flash in Vegeta's eyes as the Saiyan peered back at _his_ Bulma. The Z-fighter had been suspicious of how Vegeta submitted to Bulma almost instantly upon his arrival. It caused Yamcha to wonder what had really gone on between his girl and the prince while he was dead.

Freezing in place, his fist raised prepared to knock the idiotic earthling through the wall, Vegeta looked slowly over his shoulder at the source of his screamed name. Those big scared eyes chewed him up and spit him out. The fight in him gone with her desperate plea, the prince huffed in annoyance and marched out of the house, he hadn't even gotten to finish his meal.

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Thoughts: As I mentioned I added the first two paragraphs after watching their first... less confrontational interaction...? Now, I watched that scene again for the first time in two decades mind you. I had forgotten that Vegeta tells the group how to get Goku and Krillin back to life without wishing them into the emptiness of space. Vegeta then admits that he hadn't told Bulma about wishing Goku to the earth check-in station, to bring Goku back to life for them or the earth. If he didn't want to help them or the earth why did he give Bulma the answer she needed just as she was beginning to break down with Gohan? Could it be that her hurt spurred something locked inside that hard exterior? Vegeta is the strong silent type, but with a short fuse, making him seem less so with characters like Piccolo and Tien hanging around. Vegeta while egotistical, he isn't a true narcissist. He has feelings, empathy, loyalty, and craves interactions that aren't violent. He was conditioned to repress all of those things, which makes sense why no Saiyan had reached Super Saiyan in over one thousand years. They stopped feeling, and Frieza didn't help any in Vegeta's case. Saiyans are monkeys, cuddling and social interactions are extremely important. Those things rival needs for monkeys, they need their troop. Vegeta is no exception, he's placed it under lock and key out of a need to survive. He needs to be close to someone. He needs to be able to show physical affection towards someone. And Bulma was the first to receive his unincumbered compassion, even though he tried to cover it up. I like to think, that as a Scorpio, I understand from my own life that the hardest of shells hide nothing but puddles of goo.

Please review! I love to read what my readers think!


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

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AN: this scene is a little confusing Vegeta is outside for the whole chapter, listening to Bulma and Yamcha fight late one night. Hope you enjoy it!

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18 months 2 weeks 4 days and about 8 hours later…...

"GAAAHHHH!" *Crash* "I hate you, you, you fucking pig!" Bulma screamed at the top of her lungs. *Crash*

"Come on B it didn't mean anything, I swear," Yamcha pleaded with her. *Crash* "You're only going to keep breaking things I won't let you hit me," he said again.

Vegeta sighed as he hesitated at the back door that led from the yard into the kitchen of the Briefs residence. Where he could feel and hear the quarreling couple. Did he really want to walk into the middle of the fight?

No, not really.

Firstly, he hated Yamcha, and to make it worse the Zfighter always dragged Vegeta into their arguments. At first, it had obviously been out of his resentment towards Vegeta and the fact that the Saiyan Prince now lived in the Briefs household. Recently though, it seemed Vegeta was mentioned by the Zfighter out of some form of guilt or blackmail he was holding over the bluenette, and that made Vegeta hate Yamcha all the more. It made it extremely difficult to not punch him through a wall whenever Vegeta laid eyes on the pathetic human. Then there was the way Yamcha always spoke to the blue-haired beauty that had more brains in her little finger then Yamcha would accumulate over his entire existence. Of that fact Vegeta was sure. The coddling tone, the condescending words that always tried to shift the blame for his failures onto Bulma. If the damn fool wasn't smart enough to prevent upsetting his own female why did he try to blame her for his failings, it was just dishonorable. And lastly, the reason Vegeta would never admit to out loud, he was jealous of Yamcha. Yamcha had a gorgeous woman, a gorgeous, intelligent, quick-witted, determined woman with a temper to match Vegeta's own. The only human he respects, a woman he was loathed to admit he lusted after since he had first seen her, not on Namek, he thought her a fool then. It was on earth after they had all been transported. When they thought Kakarot was dead. Over the years he began to admire her as well.

Bulma was so vastly different than anyone, ANYONE, the prince had ever met in all his life traveling the vastness of space. She wasn't completely afraid of him and while he hadn't tested it out yet he suspected she wouldn't retreat from his touch. Sure she had been terrified when they'd first met but that was years ago and he had genuinely threatened to kill her at the time. Despite that, she never backed down when he was in a bad mood or when his temper got too hot. She always held him to higher standards of conduct, that was truly endearing. In his youth as Frieza's slave, he had been able to behave as he wished so long as he did his master's bidding. Frieza didn't care how he conducted himself, but Bulma made sure from day one that Vegeta knew exactly how he was expected to behave if he was going to be living under her roof, eating her food, using her gravity machine and battle bots. If he truly was a prince then he sure as hell needed to act like one. It made him feel nostalgic, his own parents had similar rules for behavior. Although Bulma never raised a hand to him if he slipped up, not that she'd be able to do any harm to him. No, this woman would just nag him to death if he didn't behave like the royalty he "claimed to be" as she always put it. All of this caused him to _**feel **_things for her and it was pulling instincts he had long ago buried in order to survive, he was growing _comfortable _with this human female.

Another crash of a plate hitting the wall from inside pulled him from his thoughts and Vegeta sighed. He might as well go back to the ship, this fight didn't seem to be winding down anytime soon.

"I hate you, I don't ever want to see you again!" The bluenette screamed.

There was nothing new about this fight and Vegeta turned to walk back across the yard.

"Come on B you don't mean that you love me," Yamcha tried to reason with her.

Vegeta scoffed at that, how weak was this fool? Did he always need to define their emotional attachment? Was Yamcha that insecure, that needy? What an infant.

"No, Yamcha." Her voice was calm, calmer than he'd ever heard it before and Vegeta stopped in his tracks on instinct, he'd only made it three steps from the door. For the woman to go from screaming and breaking things to being THAT calm was never good, "I'm done, we are done, _this_ is over. I want you to leave."

This fight was very different after all. Vegeta was trying hard to repress his illation at her statement and the seriousness in her tone. She was ending things with the idiot, finally.

"Bulma you don't mean this, you're just upset, it's really not a big deal," Yamcha stated flippantly.

Shit. It was going to start, the bluenette was going to cry. Vegeta could feel it in her ki. Yamcha just had to tell her how she was feeling. The fool didn't even have the wherewithal to read his own woman's emotions enough to prevent making her cry. Vegeta half-turned and cringed at the first sob, if there was one thing he hated above all others it was when this woman cried.

"No big deal? NO BIG DEAL!?" Bulma had lost her cool, how could Yamcha think that cheating on her was no big deal? She caught him. On their anniversary. "How could you? How could you do this to me? And on our anniversary?" So what if she had been a little late for their dinner date, she was working her ass off for capsule Corp. "I have been nothing but faithful to you for YEARS! I'm twenty minutes late and you already had some skank in your lap!"

Skank. What the fuck was a skank? It was such a course and vulgar sounding word. Faithful he understood. Vegeta turned fully to listen for more context so he could understand what he was hearing. _Why am I doing this?_ He asked himself, _why do I care about this woman?_ But he couldn't pull himself away not when she was this distraught. He wanted to go in there and kick Yamcha out, she had told him to get out twice now.

"Yeah, you were late!" Yamcha yelled he didn't like how serious Bulma had been a few seconds ago. Was she really going to end their decade long relationship? Well if she was he wasn't going to go down easy.

Bulma was shocked, was Yamcha really going to try to turn this around on her when she had caught him red-handed?

"Were you here with your other boyfriend? I see how you look at him! How you drool after him. You've been doing it for years now." Yamcha was digging, he knew it but he couldn't stand that Bulma found Vegeta attractive.

What the hell was this pathetic human talking about? The woman had been faithful to him, she had just stated as much. Over the past two years, Vegeta had been living here he had never smelled another man on her, let alone seen Bulma with another man.

"Are you serious right now!?" Bulma screeched causing even the Saiyan outside to flinch. "You know nothing is going on. You're just still jealous of my dream, but it was a DREAM! A dream Yamcha! Yeah, so I find him attractive, but I've never acted on it! Not like you! How many times have you cheated on me? How many girlfriends do you have? How many hussies like the one tonight do you have at your beck and call?"

Oh… that's what a skank is, a hussie, a lower class of female. It was fitting. Rage burned in his gut at the realization that the bluenette had caught Yamcha with one in his lap. It was disgraceful. He knew Yamcha was filth and always wondered why the woman put up with his bullshit, but this was low to be unfaithful to such a creature as her. Not even the lowest classes of Saiyan would consider such an act.

"Like you're at his!?" Yamcha yelled back. "You are such a hypocrite Bulma. You drop everything just to help him with another little project. Tell me how little is his _'project' _huh? Can he even make you squirm with it?" Yamcha sneered as he finished.

Vegeta was disgusted further by the vulgar implications of the Zfighter's words. However Bulma's next words shook him to his core, he hadn't realized who this mystery man they were discussing was.

"Would you leave Vegeta out of this already? NOTHING. IS GOING ON BETWEEN US! UGGH! You are so pathetic. This is so fucking typical. We are talking about you cheating on me! On ME! BULMA BRIEFS! The most desirable woman on Earth! Heiress to The Capsule Corp fortune and future head of the company. And all you can think of is Vegeta. This isn't my problem, it's yours. You are obsessed with him. Get over it! So what if I had a dream that I kissed him, it was YEARS AGO! So I think he's gorgeous, so what!? I have never, NEVER, acted on it and you know that. We have a working relationship, do you even realize the technology he has provided me with? The innovations he has helped me create? I just revolutionized space travel capabilities for Earth again, all because of his generosity."

It was _him_ they were fighting about? The woman had _dreamed_ about him? _She,_ found _him _attractive? Of course, she would, he was a fine specimen, but she thought he was generous? He knew he was an asshole, arrogant, rude at times, obsessive and very cold. But she sounded grateful towards him, there was admiration in her voice. Vegeta felt like the air had been forced from his lungs, as the woman continued.

"The least I can do is recalibrate the gravity chamber for him, or build another battle bot, repair his suit or build him armor. Which by the way has also changed our own earthly forms of armor and tactical gear. He is sticking around to help save this planet, he trains every day, he has goals, he has aspirations. What do you have Yamcha? You hit balls with sticks, and in reality that's only going to last another couple of years, you are terrible with money, you have no self-control, certainly no goals, and now… NO GIRLFRIEND! GET. OUT!"

"No, I'm not going anywhere until you tell me the truth." Yamcha was furious and he advanced on Bulma.

"Please, Yamcha I'm done. I've told you the truth more times than I care to count. Has my story ever changed?" Bulma was crying into her hands and didn't notice the z fighter closing the distance between them. She leaned back into the counter and sobbed into her hands.

Vegeta wasn't really listening to the couple anymore. He was struggling with his internal monolog. He was secretly pleased by the news of her attraction for him. What was more staggering was how she spoke about Vegeta himself, no one had ever called him generous before, and while it threatened his reputation it boosted his ego to know she of all people admired him, and that fact made the weakling jealous of him. Her sobs broke him out of his thoughts. He couldn't stand her tears and took an involuntary step towards the door but stopped when he felt the z fighter moved toward the woman.

Now directly in front of her Yamcha placed both hands on the counter to either side of Bulma, caging her in. He wasn't going to leave until he got what he wanted, her to admit she cheated and then to make up.

"The truth B. I want the truth. And you are going to give it to me one way, or another." The threat in his voice caused Bulma to lift her face from her hands in shock. She hadn't realized he was right in front of her and the look in his eye was scaring her.

"W-what do you m-m-mean one w-way or a-another?"


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

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AN: I'm going to give anyone reading this a bit of fair warning, the next chapter contains the topic of strong sexual violence.

It stems from my theory of why the prideful overly-confident Prince of all Saiyans is afraid of worms and why he couldn't stop freezing up during the fight against Frieza on Namek. Especially when Krillin was impaled and Frieza laughed while making Krillin "ride" his horn. Frieza was wide the fuck open in the words of Goku ~ That pose just screamed hit me.~ The next chapter will be some of the worst things Vegeta has bottled up inside and it will never be mentioned to this degree again. It will only be hinted at in later chapters but will be alongside some torture. I will put a large warning in the author's note of the next chapter.

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The fear in her voice the way she wavered and stuttered, it was too much for him. He knew Yamcha had advanced on her, but he had assumed it was to comfort her, not intimidated her further. Taking the last two steps back to the door Vegeta grabbed the doorknob feeling it groan under the strain of his grip.

"You know what I mean, I'm going to make y-" he stopped when the back door flew open and both earthlings looked to see an irate Saiyan standing there. "Do you mind? We are a little busy here," Yamcha spat annoyed at being interrupted.

Feeling bolstered by Vegeta's presence Bulma tried one final time to send Yamcha away.

"No, we aren't! _We_ aren't anything. I told you to leave now just go!"

"I told you," Yamcha practically growled at her and her eyes grew wide at his venom, "I'm not going an-"

Yamcha didn't get to finish his sentence. Vegeta seeing the fear in Bulma's eyes had had enough and intervened. Grabbing the fool by his wrist and throat Vegeta slammed the weak human into the wall across the kitchen.

"The woman told you to leave, she asked, she pleaded for you to go, and you INTIMIDATE HER!? In her own home?" Flaring his nostrils Vegeta took a breath and nearly gagged as his eyes began to water. "You reek of another woman. Ehh did you take her in a facility!?" He hadn't meant to say that out loud it had just taken him by surprise that the weakling was that disgusting as to fornicate in a room meant for defecation. "That is disgusting, now go, as she said before I force you out. Or better yet, I could just make your complaints factual, and kill you myself this time." The evil grin cracked across his face and Vegeta hoped this weakling would try something so he could revel in slaughtering the fool. It's not like they needed him the upcoming fight with the androids, the Zfighter was fodder at best.

Yamcha gulped and looked behind Vegeta to the shocked face of Bulma across the kitchen, her eyes were wide, her hands covering her mouth that undoubtedly hung open. "I knew you two were fucking! Why else would he save you, huh Bulma?"

She couldn't respond, she barely registered Yamcha's words. Vegeta just outed Yamcha's cheating, confirming what she had suspected. The Saiyan prince could apparently smell it on him. And by the shock that had been on Yamcha's face when Vegeta called him out was proof enough that the Saiyan was correct. Bulma couldn't believe that Vegeta was standing up for her.

"Hmm, does your vulgarity know no limits? Have you no honor at all? Threatening a woman, your own woman n-"

"I'm not his woman!" Bulma yelled interrupting Vegeta. He didn't mind that she interrupted him and he glanced over his shoulder at her and smirked.

"Apparently you have nothing left here it's time for you to go." Vegeta dragged Yamcha to the front door and opened it. He lifted the Zfighter by the throat at ear level and hissed, "You should've had more faith in your woman. I don't share my mates. If she was mine, you would've _known_ by now." With that Vegeta threw Yamcha out the door and closed it not caring that the Zfighter skidded across the street and into the field on the other side.

Vegeta returned to the kitchen. Bulma just stared at him as he stepped into the doorway. The sound of glass crunching under his feet caused him to look down before his shoulders relaxed and he sighed. The woman was clearly in some kind of shock and would undoubtedly be exhausted once she snapped out of it. So he walked to the closet and retrieved a broom. He began to sweep the mess into a pile. The simple, repetitive motion was helping to calm his ire and settle his thoughts.

"I didn't need your help." She started firmly.

Vegeta looked at her incredulously with a raised eyebrow briefly before he continued his task.

"I didn't." She repeated and this time he didn't acknowledge her words. He knew she had, Yamcha was threatening her, he had her caged in by arms that could have broken her in two.

He saved her and now he was ignoring her! The nerve he had, he interrupted a fight he had obviously been listening to. And now he was brushing her off? Bulma was still upset and she reached for the nearest dish she could find. Without looking at what she was holding she threw it as hard as she could at Vegeta's head. As it flew she realized she had just thrown her mother's antique vase her father had gifted on their twentieth anniversary.

Vegeta hadn't expected her to throw anything at him but he reacted nonetheless. He heard the object leave her hand after picking it up and turned to glare at her. Then he watched in slow motion as her face changed while she registered just _what_ she had chosen as her projectile. It was her mother's most often used vase for her precious roses. Catching it before it made contact with his face, Vegeta groaned and leaned the broom into the corner. Then he walked over to the shelf to Bulma's left and placed the vase in the cabinet with glass doors so its beauty would be on display.

"I believe that holds meaning to your mother," Vegeta said softly.

That was all he said before he continued with his chosen chore. But the softness in his voice caught Bulma off guard and she gasped as she bawled her hand over her heart into a fist. He had caught it, Yamcha never let anything hit him but he also never prevented her from breaking anything. Over the years she had ruined several dragon radars, entire sets of dishes, her father's favorite mug (twice), an antique teapot and several other pieces of rare pottery. All because Yamcha hadn't bothered to catch them when he had been beyond capable of it. Now here was this universally feared man, one of the most powerful beings ever born and he was not only cleaning up her mess but he had prevented her from making anymore of one without physically forcing her to calm down. She wondered if she threw more things at him if he would catch them too. She realized right then that this was the first time she found him endearing. Tears began forming in her eyes again at how foolish she had been to waste so many years on someone like Yamcha, and over the fact that this man before her, a man she had begun to admire would never look twice at her.

As he reached for the broom he had left in the corner Vegeta questioned his actions and words of the evening. Why the hell was he sweeping up the mess the woman made, why did he speak so softly to her? Why the fuck had he been so vulgar in his own implications at the end of the encounter with the weakling? Why did his instincts override him every time she cried in his presence. Every time her ki would flutter in that way he wanted to run to her and protect her. He hated this yet he couldn't seem to stop himself and he continued to sweep up the broken glass.

Then it happened.

Her ki, it gave that flutter again.

There was no controlling it, no one was around to witness and haunt him later. He felt helpless to resist her when she needed comfort. Dropping the broom Vegeta was in front of her in an instant with an arm around her waist pulling her away from the very same place Yamcha had trapped her and into his hard body. Bulma was so shocked by his actions that she stiffened instantly but as he moved her body into his, into an embrace, she clung to him and cried into his chest. That gesture of support overwhelming her and she couldn't hold back all of the hurt she felt. Vegeta wrapped his other arm across her back and held her closer. He didn't realize his small act would make her cry more and it was making him behave as he had never imagined he could.

There was a reason he had buried these instincts. As he stroked his hand up and down her back he was experiencing an internal war between his ego and his instincts with his pride caught in the middle. On one hand, he felt above this act, that it was beneath him to comfort some weak alien female. On the other, his instincts screamed that she was vulnerable and this was his responsibility to see to her comfort. That there was no greater act a man could do for his mate.

Mate.

Oh no.

Vegeta was about to pull away as a host of emotions started to surface within him. Fear that he couldn't handle was predominant, but she prevented his thoughts from continuing when she sobbed out her own.

"Why wasn't I enough?" she cried into his chest.

This was like a knife through his heart and his instincts won the battle. Forcing his other emotions and thoughts aside.

"He was a fool. Do not shed tears over him," he whispered into her hair just above her ear. He was glad she had let it return to her naturally straight texture a month ago, it had been rather ridiculous in the puffy bush of curls it had been when he had returned a year ago.

"Why couldn't I have been enough?" Bulma wasn't listening and had kinda forgotten _who _was holding her so tenderly. "I gave him everything for the past ten years and he never loved me he just wanted to possess me."

"You are not an object for any man to _possess_," Vegeta didn't like that phrase, it made it sound like Yamcha wanted her as a slave. The idea of anyone enslaving Bulma made his gut turn into knots.

"W-what?" Bulma looked up as tears streamed down her face. Did she hear him correctly? Did Vegeta, of all people, tell her she wasn't for anyone to possess? Was she dreaming again?

Vegeta looked down and wiped a tear from her face, "I said he is a fool, you are not a possession, and you shouldn't waste tears of such an inferior man." he cupped her cheek gently in his calloused hand.

"Why…'' Bulma was having some serious deja-vu. In the position, wrapped in Vegeta's arms his thumb on her cheek stroking it so gently, she couldn't control herself and she followed through with her dream. Bulma rose on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to Vegeta's.

Surprise, it was the first thing he felt as her soft lips pressed into his. Then lust came thundering down over him and he pulled her in tighter and deepened the kiss, nearly devouring her mouth. When she moaned and gyrated her pelvis into his Vegeta was snapped out of his lust. His instincts screamed at him not to take advantage of her vulnerability, and his rational mind was freaking out over what he was considering doing? Mating with a human? The prince of Saiyans mating a weak human from this pathetic backwater planet? It was unthinkable, and yet his instincts only insisted they wait. And his fears screamed to distance himself from her. So placing his hands on her shoulders he pushed her back until she reconnected with the counter. Realizing where he had returned her he immediately turned with her still under his grasp and nudged her toward the adjacent wall, away from him.

The hurt and embarrassment she felt by his rejection was salt in an open wound. Tears began anew in her eyes as her lip trembled.

"See I'm not, I'm not good enough. I-" she was cut off as her back connected with the wall and heat scorched her front.

"Don't say that." Vegeta had pushed the bluenette into the wall and held her there with his body, one hand on her hip the other cupping her cheek. "Never say that," he growled stroking her cheek with his thumb and looking deep into her eyes that were wide with surprise. He couldn't believe what he was about to say. "Please" it came out somewhere between a purr and a growl.

"But if- if I was desirable you wouldn't-"

To silence her he pulled her hips into his so she could feel the evidence that she was desired. He made sure his swollen cock hit her hip and not her heated core - if he pressed it to her womb he feared he might not be able to stop himself - but he felt her ki shift all the same as her surprise turned into arousal. Again, he pulled away from her returning to the broom he'd dropped when her tears started. Confident now that her tears had ceased he put distance between them.

Bulma was stunned, had Vegeta just said please? Had she really just felt his erection on her hip? Was that really his erection? It was harder than any she'd ever felt, not that she'd felt many only a couple but Yamcha's never came close to _that_. The Zfighter wasn't impotent but he couldn't compare to the size or rigidity of what Vegeta was packing. Was the Saiyan prince really attracted to her? If so why did he reject her when she offered herself to him? Suddenly she felt angry that this might actually be some type of game to him.

"What was that? Are you fucking with me?" she hissed at him.

Freezing at her cursing Vegeta looked up from his task to meet her face. Scowling he scoffed at her. He was respecting her person and had shown her she was extremely desirable, wasn't that what she wanted most? Didn't she understand his need to distance himself? Vegeta was a million times stronger than her, if he lost control he could kill Bulma.

"You think it's funny to mess with me like that? Are you insane? I threw myself at you and you rejected me?" Bulma was furious, her hands balled into fists and shaking at her sides.

"Wait? What?" Vegeta couldn't believe it, she took his refusal to take advantage of her as rejection? What had that despicable earthling done to this woman for her to think such a thing?

"You heard me," she said.

Vegeta quickly finished sweeping up the broken glass and placed the broom back into the closet. As he shut the door to the broom closet he spoke in the same soft tone he had been using with her all evening.

"I did, yes.'' Then he turned to meet her gaze and she was surprised by the raw emotions - and she was a little nervous to call it empathy - she saw in his black depths. "I heard what you said. I simply fail to see how you consider it a rejection of you. The only thing I reject is the idea of taking advantage of you. I showed you what you do to me. You are the only human worthy of my respect and I will- '' Vegeta stopped speaking as the realization of what he just said sunk in. He instantly blushed before looking away in an attempt to cover his slip up and subsequential embarrassment. He had just told himself he would never tell anyone that he felt anything for this woman and then he had openly shown her! He wanted to be sick, but his smug instincts were keeping him calmer than his ego wanted.

"Respect?" Bulma couldn't believe it. Vegeta had indeed pressed himself into her to show her he found her desirable. And what was even more, he pulled away out of respect for her? He thought he would be taking advantage of her? How? She offered herself to him.

"Yes," he answered through clenched teeth.

"Well, I don't see how that is respect at all I made the first move and you shot me down." Bulma stubbornly crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her chin up to the side.

He was shocked, had Yamcha been so awful to her that she had lost a part of her self respect and worth?

"Yes, woman," Vegeta turned to look at her. "Respect," he repeated looking deep into her eyes. "You are in a vulnerable state, that fool tried to destroy your self-worth. I will not do anything to jeopardize it further. I will not use you to slate my lust because you are vulnerable and he obviously succeeded to an extent." folding his arms over his chest Vegeta cocked his head to the side and sneered, "What is with this pathetic planet and you humans that women can be threatened in their own home and be made to feel so low by their males?"

The last part was more to himself but Bulma felt all of her anger dissipate. Vegeta was right, she was vulnerable, she felt like shit. Her confidence was shattered, and her self worth destroyed.

"How is unfaithfulness tolerated here?" he was still asking himself more than her.

She was seeing the prince in a completely different light than she ever had before. She had always assumed he had one of the most despicable pasts as a planet conquering warrior. But, maybe she was wrong. His next question directed at her pulled her out of her thoughts.

Then it occurred to him that Yamcha had been threatening her, but with what? "What was he threatening you with?"

Bulma didn't like thinking about some of Yamcha's more extreme kinks. She never really enjoyed anal she only did it because he nagged her into it when they were drunk one night and she allowed it now and then because she loved him and wanted to please the former bandit. Sometimes when they fought he liked to use it as a means of punishment during makeup sex, dominating her completely. All the cooler drained from her face as she looked anywhere but the Saiyan's eyes.

Vegeta caught a glimpse of the shame she felt with his question. It physically staggered Vegeta to see _that_ kind of shame on her face and he found himself in front of her again. Using one curled finger to bring her face back to his until their eyes met. In her sapphire orbs, it was there. Plain as day, Yamcha had harmed her physically somehow in a way that made her feel even more vulnerable. He wouldn't pry, if she wanted to say it she would, and he wouldn't force her into it. He knew that pain all too well. It was the pain of losing one's free will and being completely dominated and forced to do things you didn't want to do. A pain he knew all too well.

"Oh... Bulma," Vegeta said in his deep voice.

That was the first time he'd called her by name, and oh boy what a way to hear her name. She couldn't help but cry all over again the emotion, the empathy in that single word. She didn't know how but Vegeta knew she was hiding something or at the very least the ramifications of it on her psyche. She crumbled back into his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her until her sobs subsided.

Vegeta wanted nothing more than to kill Yamcha, he didn't think that the human would go so far as the force her into things she didn't want. He feared just what those things might have been. Seeing that look in her eyes brought back his traumatic memory of Frieza using him in a sadistic game. He held the woman while she cried out her hurt and he let her shed tears for both of them while he was helpless to stop his memories to play out in his mind.


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

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**i!i!i!i!i!WARNING! TRIGGER CONTENT! RAPE, SEXUAL ASSAULT & HUMILIATION!i!i!i!i!i**

AN: This is my take on the worst of Vegeta's torture, and how Frieza nearly broke the Prince. The reason his tail was desensitized and why segmented worms freak him the fuck out.

I have the next chapter ready and will post it immediately after this one. I hate to let Frieza have the last word.

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The first time it happened the young prince had been caught after sneaking out of the fortress on planet Frieza. His gilded cage couldn't satisfy his thirst for life and a good battle. At the age of eleven, Vegeta had been kept as nothing more than a dancing monkey for frieze over the last five years, performing executions on rebels that had risen against the Lord and his father King Cold. Occasionally he would have to fight to the death if Vegeta himself misbehaved. The fights always reminded him of when his father had taken him to the battlefield and showed the five-year-old prince what a true Saiyan warrior could do.

Three days prior Vegeta took yet another life and he'd grown bored since then. Frieza was off-world, Nappa was locked up in a cell for some reason Vegeta was unaware of, and the guards were simply too easy to overpower for the mischievous prince. So naturally, he escaped.

Vegeta spent an hour exploring the fortress in the dead of night. Making his way into a courtyard Vegeta looked up into the night sky. There was no moon here, it had been years since he'd transformed and the prince missed the feel of all that power flowing through his body. Tutting, Vegeta flew up to the top of the wall. Being certain to hide in the shadows he gazed out at the world around the fortress.

It was a bleak planet. Despite the advances within the fortress, the rest of the people on planet Frieza lived in extreme poverty. The town outside the thick walls resembled the poorest of towns on planet Vegeta. Looking up to the sky again Vegeta tried to make out the nebula that provided light to where his homeworld was through the thick clouds. There were always clouds this time of year and it pissed him off. Why couldn't Frieza just let him go home? It called to his blood, the crimson skies, the heavy atmosphere, two moons that hung huge in the sky. That nebula that made the skies that bloody red. Vegeta ached for his home and his people.

Deciding the beings of this world would have to serve for his amusement this night their prince jumped down from the wall. He silently made his way to that village. Determined to find something to amuse himself.

The village was even worse than he had thought. Vegeta was fairly certain he'd passed two corpses on his way down the main thoroughfare. Sick and homeless villagers huddled on side streets and in alleyways. It was disgraceful, even if they were the lowest classes, they at least deserved shelter and the chance to better their miserable existence. This was a complete waste of potential.

Venturing upon a house of sin Vegeta stuck to the far side of the road, clinging to the darkest shadows. He was not ready to go back yet and _really _didn't want to get caught where he was not allowed. Which was anywhere that wasn't his room, or on Frieza's leash.

The young Saiyan shuddered at the degrading humiliation that thing brought on. Yes, Vegeta had to wear a literal leash when the Lord brought his "little pet" out to play. Who was Frieza to call anyone tiny? At eleven Vegeta was almost as tall as the pintsized lizard that made the Prince's skin crawl.

Vegeta heard some muffled noises coming from an alley ahead of him. He smirked hoping he could have a bit of fun with whatever drunken fool might be around the next building.

Creeping up to the corner what Vegeta saw made him feel strange. A large toad looking soldier with a tail was holding onto a naked crying girl of the Siriuon humanoid variety. Vegeta was sure she couldn't have been much older than himself, maybe fifteen.

Now, Vegeta had seen naked and half-naked females before. Some wore leashes like him and that emasculate him, others were only ever decoration or serving Frieza and his men, or all of the above. If while in Vegeta's presence any man got too handsy with females they were reprimanded with brutal and swift action. It wasn't because Frieza cared about any of the women, or his men, it was because he wanted to keep Vegeta ignorant until as such a time would be right to castrate the monkey. Frieza knew he would first need to break the headstrong prince first. Until Frieza decided it was time for such things no man in his army was to copulate while in the same room as the prince, ensuring Vegeta's ignorance.

Seeing a fully naked woman that resembled his own kind being rutted upon her chest flushed and bouncing, it caused strange stirrings inside him he didn't understand. Contradicting those sensations were his instincts to protect the female from the vulgar brutality he was witnessing. The great beast within him screamed females that bore offspring were to be treated with dignity not battered and ruined like this massive brute was doing to the tiny female.

In his hesitation, Vegeta's instincts took over his actions. Before the prince knew it he was slamming his first into the side of the other male's face, sending the soldier hurtling into the wall at the other end of the alley. He removed his cape and draped it over the female where she fell to the ground. Scooping her sight form into his arms he leaped onto the roof.

There was a bright flash when he landed. Vegeta could recall a pain in his head, then nothing.

Opening his eyes Vegeta was confused by what he was looking at. His vision was blurry and he had trouble focusing on the images. Closing his eyes he groaned at the pain in his head and pressed his bare hands into the cold tile floor. As he tried to peel himself off the smooth stone he realized he was naked. What the hell had happened to him?

His head spun, his ears rang and stomach lurched, emptying its contents as he sat up. He remembered taking out his guards and leaving the fortress. The walk through the pathetic village, how disgusted he was by the state of living, and a girl. She was being raped and he'd attacked taking her away, then he was blinded on the roof, and…and… He couldn't remember anything else. Why was he naked? Clutching his head he groaned again.

The ringing was dying down but he heard voices, three. Two were speaking the third was whimpering and sobbing.

"...but my Lord, I-"

"I don't care what happened Zarbon! I'm going to teach him a lesson he won't soon forget." Frieza's harsh voice broke through the fog in Vegeta's mind. "No pet of mine runs away without consequences."

The cold voice grew louder and Vegeta knew Frieza was standing behind him. The prince could feel the lizard's eyes on him. All the elements around him seemed to close in at once, and try as he might Vegeta couldn't suppress the shudder that racked his body. Searing pain gripped him every muscle and Vegeta screamed as he was lifted off the floor by his tail.

Frieza laughed that sadistic chuckle of his as the young prince dangled from his tail. Frieza had wrapped his own tail around the end of Vegeta's and yanked the boy off the floor and lifted him high enough that they were at eye level.

"Stay right where you are Zarbon," Zarbon froze in his move to leave at the sound of his name on Frieza's dark red lips. "You are going to help me teach this monkey a lesson after all. Finish what you started and show Vegeta how a real man takes a woman."

"But Sire, I-" Zarbon was at a loss, he wasn't really in the mood at the moment.

"Grrr, do it Zarbon, or I'll use _you_ to show Vegeta what's coming to him," Frieza ordered.

"Oh, alright," Zarbon shifted his form and was suddenly the hideous brute Vegeta had punched out in the alley. The whimpering stopped and then a feminine scream of horror filled the room. "Ugh, I do hate it when they are so noisy," The gravelly voice of Zarbon's true form sounded.

Vegeta dangled from his tail, immobilized by the excruciating pain. He could barely whimper, all he could do was watch as Frieza's right hand transformed. Again he vomited as the grotesque Zarbon picked the form of the same girl from earlier up by her dark blue hair and forced her face into his crotch. Frieza chuckled and shifted his tail around Vegeta's naked flesh. Taking the prince's tail in his cold hand Frieza adjusted his tail so he held Vegeta out in front of him and forced him to watch the tiny woman have every hole of her body violated by Zarbon.

After watching helplessly for two hours Vegeta began to cry from the horror. Blood was oozing out of wounds across the girl's body and the life faded from her eyes but Zarbon didn't stop his assault. Frieza coiled his tail tighter, stretching it out. The cold segmented appendage wrapped twice around his torso and once around the base of Vegeta's tail and he lost any control he had over his own body. The prince was helpless to do anything as that hard purple tip probed its way under his tail, between his glutes and forced its way inside of Vegeta who screamed from the unbelievable pain. Frieza gripped Vegeta's hair with his free hand and yanked the youth's head back.

"If you want to cry like a woman, I'll fuck you like one," Frieza hissed into Vegeta's ear.

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Notes: OMG, I'm soo sorry! Writing this was really hard. Vegeta has been my favorite character since he threw that bug leg to the side and told Nappa they needed to cook it next time. Writing this part of his life this way was terrible. I'm a very detailed writer and I tried to just tell what happened because I would've been in tears having to write it out. Originally I had another version of events for Vegeta's desensitization it was a lot worse and a hell of a lot more tragic. I cried while writing it, but in the end, I went with this version. Again, I'm very sorry.


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

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Vegeta shuddered and held Bulma a little tighter as he tried to fight against his memories. That hadn't been the last time Frieza had used his body. It went on that way for three years. Frieza forced Vegeta to mutilate his execution victims, or he would threaten to violate the prince. As Vegeta caved to more and more gruesome deeds Frieza would rape him anyway. Until one night after weeks of training his mind to release the sensitivity in his tail. Frieza grabbed him by it and instead of being frozen with pain, Vegeta fought back. He injured Frieza badly but the fiend transformed and knocked him out. He awoke in a small personal space ship, to Nappa's off-key humming. They had been shipped off to the front lines.

He had buried the memory of his rape years ago. It was how his tail had stopped being sensitive before he arrived on Earth. The fact that this female had experienced anything remotely similar to it made him wish he'd killed the weakling instead of just throwing him across the street. When she returned his embrace he buried his nose in her hair and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

When Vegeta shuddered Bulma realized how tightly he was holding her, his firm solid arms had her trapped, but she felt incredibly safe. What was this? He seemed to be giving her his physical strength. So the bluenette wrapped her arms around his trim waist and clung to him even tighter. Then she felt it as Vegeta released a stuttered breath above her ear and she knew he was dealing with some trama. She wondered at it, how could he have understood her pain? What might have happened to this man that was normally so standoffish no one could ever get close to him? The

"You're enough," he whispered once her sobs stopped and her breath began to even back out.

"Vegeta…" Bulma breathed into his neck and she ran the tip of her nose over his skin.

"You're enough," he repeated as he backed her into the wall again.

"Please..." she begged softly. She felt so empty after her tears, and she needed to feel something other than this hollowness right now.

With one hand on the back of her neck and the other on her hip, he laid into her body. He leaned his head down and in hailed her aroma from her neck hovering over her skin. She smelled delicious and without thinking he licked her collarbone to the top of her shoulder. The growl came uncontrolled with the sweet-salty flavor of her flesh.

"Vegeta!" she gasped, it was so unexpected his tongue scorched her flesh, it made her knees weak. That growl was vibrating through them both and she felt heat wrapping around her core. Her skin tingled every place he was touching her. Bulma tried to remember if being in an embrace had ever felt this way before. She wanted more of this, More of _him_. Whimpering she pressed herself into him and pleaded for him to do more, "Please..."

The scent of her arousal hit him hard and Vegeta struggled to keep the reigns on his control. It was slipping and he almost regretted licking her skin, almost. She tasted so damn good he wanted more, He longed to sample every inch of her flesh. Taking what he had hoped would be a deep settling breath, the Saiyan did regret that. With each passing second, her arousal was growing and he found himself cocooned in the intoxicating Jasmine and citrus of this delicate creature.

Vegeta couldn't take his pleasure in her, not now. He couldn't keep images of his past out of his mind and he didn't want it to influence his first time with his mate. She was still vulnerable even though her arousal was calling to him and his instincts caved. They could please her, but her only. Vegeta needed to himself time before he would be ready to take her, but he would give her what she needed for now.

"Mmm," he hummed as he took another breath filled with her scent. Using his hand on her hip he lowered it over her ass and brought her leg up to his own hip, kneading her thigh gently. "He was a fool, you deserve soo _much _more," he breathed into her ear before he sank to his knees in front of her.

Placing her leg over his shoulder Vegeta ran his hands up her thighs and looked her in the eyes. He could see her confusion, and he smirked at her until a soft "oh" escaped her lip. The prince dragged his eyes down her body until they rested on the pink panties she was wearing under her short skirt that was now in full view of his hungry eyes. Before the blush could even form as she watched him stare at her panties he moved the cotton fabric aside and dove forward to eat her sex with vigor. He slid his tongue over her clit and into her folds tasting her depths before working his way around her opening.

Bulma was surprised out of her embarrassment when Vegeta's hot tongue slid over her clit. She yelped and clutched at his head trying to guide him back when he explored the rest of her with his tongue. When he finally reached her clit again she gasped and moaned as he probed and prodded it with his tongue. Her legs almost gave out at the contact. Vegeta lifted her other leg so she sat on his shoulders and he pinned her hips to the wall Finding the hard nub to be her weak point, Vegeta swirled his tongue around her clit and sucked it into his mouth. The noises the bluenette was making were driving Vegeta wild as he continued his oral assault. Moving back down to insert his tongue deep into her opening Vegeta growled into her causing her to shake. He stroked her inner walls with his tongue until she was begging for more than he returned his attention to her clit. He sucked it into his mouth and her thighs clamped around his head. He rolled it between his teeth and she curled over the top of him. He pressed his tongue into while he rolled it and suckled at it and her thighs began to shake and shudder as she threw her head back on a keening wail. Vegeta felt more moisture pooling onto his chin and he switched to lapping at her entrance until it ceased. Each time his tongue dragged over her glistening lips she shuddered and gasped. Replacing her undergarment Vegeta pulled away, kissing and nipping her thigh as he did so. Holding her in place against the wall Vegeta allowed her legs to slide off her shoulders and he held her there until she found the will to stand.

Bulma was on cloud nine, even after years of practice Yamcha had never eaten her like that. She pressed a hand to her head as she leaned into the wall, that had not been what she had expected at all. She had expected a rough and wild fuck between the sheets with the prince of all Saiyans. Not for him to go down on her in the kitchen.

The kitchen! Oh, kami they were in her parents' kitchen!

This brought Bulma out of her post-orgasm daze enough to find her feet. She even had to stand up a bit from where Vegeta held her, but as soon as she did he removed his hands and stood to turn away from her and headed for the door. There was just no way he could stay in the same building let alone room with her and not drive his cock into her warm wet interior, but his mind was still clouded with images of Frieza and the terrible things he'd done.

"Wait," she called and he froze mid-reach for the doorknob. "Don't, don't you want to come upstairs?"

Vegeta looked at her over his shoulder and he made sure to let her see the conflict in his eyes, "Do not think of this as rejection, please," and with that, he returned to the ship for the night.

Bulma was stunned Vegeta had just said please for the second time in one night! Was he sick or something? And why did he look so pained and remorseful before he left? Was it because he had refused himself pleasure but had given into hers? She felt incredibly powerful remembering the hungry way he looked at her when he was on his knees before her. He was on his knees at her feet! The warrior prince, one of the strongest men ever to exist went to his knees at her feet and gave her pleasure while forgoing his own. Bulma pinched herself and yelped confirming she was indeed awake.

This hadn't been a dream.

Which meant she really had broken up with Yamcha and boy was it **over**. She wouldn't be going back to him after what just happened. It made her regret not leaving Yamcha earlier. If she had known an orgasm could be like _that_ she would've left him years ago. Vegeta had given her one of the most intense orgasms and he'd _only_ used his mouth! What would it be like to have the rest of him? If just a kiss could get him that incredibly hard she would press her advantage. Had Vegeta given her the advantage on purpose? Was it really an advantage? He'd pleased her but now she couldn't get his burning gaze out of her mind. But he had only given he hadn't taken anything from her. He had given her safety and peace by removing Yamcha, he had given her a reprieve by cleaning her mess, saved her from ruining her mother's vase, given her support when she had broken down into tears, given her empathy and support. Then he had given her pleasure, and power when he refused his own and practically pleaded for her to let him go. She felt overwhelmed with everything he had given to her, no man had ever given her so much without expecting something in return, and she could never return to having less.

Outside Vegeta launched himself into the sky and dove for the ocean.

He swam for hours in the cool depths, hoping it would clear his mind. What the hell was the matter with him? Was he getting soft? Was he losing his mind? Why did this woman affect him so much? It was dragging up memories he wanted to keep buried, the pain was just too much to handle. He laid back and looked up at the night sky. He didn't need this distraction right now, he had a little over one year until the androids arrived to destroy this planet. And now he had a good reason to save it but still hadn't achieved his goals. How was he going to do that with Bulma's hot welcoming body tempting him away from his training? He couldn't risk it he had to find some way to isolate himself, he would have to leave the planet. That would hurt her especially now that he'd given her a taste of his passion for her. Why couldn't this have waited why did it have to happen with a weaker species? She was so fragile that it gave him a sick kind of pleasure knowing he could end her with a flick of his finger but knew he never would. Why was he attracted to this brilliantly intelligent woman with a strong mind and a weak body? Why did this one have to have such a mouth on her? He groaned why did he have to think of her mouth? He'd finally calmed his raging boner and it was deciding on a repeat appearance. Rolling back over he paddled across the sea.

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Notes: I hope


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

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AN: Rest assured I will be posting 2-4 chapters a week until this story is completed and I dig my heels into the 7-year gap. This story is maybe 20 chapters, of which 15 are finished they just need to be polished up a bit.

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Three days had gone by and Vegeta had been avoiding her, she was sure of it and it pissed her off royally. So she had decided she was going to do something about it. She wasn't sure exactly what but cornering the Saiyan was how she was going to start. He had disappeared for two days after their encounter in the kitchen, the night she ended things with Yamcha. Her nerves were beginning to wreak havoc on her as she approached the gravity chamber, but when she made it to the door she found the place empty.

Where did he go? He had been there for breakfast, the pile of dirty plates could only have been made by the Saiyan.

Vegeta having felt her ki signature moving towards him had left the gravity chamber and flown into the sky above the Capsule Corp compound. He had to avoid her, she pulled his instincts out, instincts he wasn't comfortable with. His bloodlust on full moons he understood, he accepted and looked forward to it at times. Of course, as of the past couple of years he only killed animals, usually for food for the Briefs, but already it made sense to him. Not this _feeling_ towards the female scientist, he wanted to see here safe, content, happy even. Vegeta wanted to sweep her into his arms and ravage her body and bind her soul to his own. Dammit he didn't need this he could not have this now, maybe after the Androids and Kakarot were destroyed, maybe, but right now he needed to be able to concentrate on the task at hand. Becoming a super Saiyan, not the increasingly distracting blue-haired female that was below him.

He flew away to the continent and the mountains in the distance he wouldn't be able to return to the gravity room tonight, not with her scent lingering outside the door. Memories of the other night were flooding his mind and his senses. The sight of ecstasy etched on her face the smell of her sex, the taste. The blatant raw desire in her eyes, the flush that had engulfed her chest, neck and face, the feel of her soft perfect lips. These had been distracting him for days and he needed to do something about it. So he would meditate in the wilderness until he could find a way to rid himself of this desire.

Disappointed Bulma returned to the house. Gathering her things she left for the lab. Maybe throwing herself into work would take her mind off Vegeta. She didn't understand why he had been so distant. As she flew her chopper to work she couldn't get the image of him from when she'd broken down the second time out of her mind. She saw it in his eyes when he had made her look at him, he knew her pain or at least something similar to it. It made her wonder what had happened to him in his previous life as Frieza's slave? What kind of torture had he endured to make him understand her pain? Or had he simply seen it on others? If so why would he care about hers? Did he have feelings for her?

No. Vegeta didn't care about anyone or anything other than himself and attaining more power. Right?

Bulma thought about that for a moment. He had come in and removed Yamcha from her home.

'_The woman told you to leave, she asked, she pleaded for you to go, and you INTIMIDATE HER!? In her own home?' _his words wrang in her mind. Had he been listening to their argument? He had to have been, she had only told Yamcha to leave the once in Vegeta's presence.

Okay, so he eavesdropped then swooped in and saved her as soon as she had gotten uncomfortable. He cleaned up her mess, saved her mom's vase - even commenting on how it was important to her mom - and pulled her into his arms when she cried. Kami the way he held her, she felt as safe as when Goku would pull her from danger but never had her old friend made her feel so comforted, so delicate. Vegeta even contradicted her and called Yamcha a fool when she doubted her worth, he told her she wasn't a possession, he even said please! He confessed he was attracted to her-well he showed her at any rate- told her he respected her, even made a point of not taking advantage of her. Then he'd given her a pleasurable release that empowered her and told her it wasn't a rejection when he declined her invitation to her bed. My god the way he had pleased her the hunger in his eyes, his voice.

'_You are enough… You are enough' _he'd said before going down on her.

OH. MY. GOD! Vegeta cared about her!? He actually fucking cared about _her_!

Bulma nearly dropped out of the sky in her chopper from the shock of that realization. What was she going to do? She wanted him, yeah, but that was mostly physical on her part, but who could blame her? The man was like a freaking god! His attitude left much to be desired though, he was arrogant, self-absorbed, single-minded, obsessive, egotistical, and a universally feared mass-murdering narcissistic maniac. At least that was what she thought she had known about him. As it stood he hadn't killed anyone in years now, then the other night he had been gentle, caring, supportive, protective, empathetic, even selfless both when he cleaned the glass from the floor and when he had pleasured her. All of those were words she _never_ would've used to describe _him_. If that was what he was really like under that cold hard heartless exterior she wanted to know more. No, she needed to know more about Vegeta. Strengthening her resolve to know more about him she landed her chopper and capsulated it before heading in to work. Her mind made up she was able to put all of her other thoughts on the subject aside and have a productive day.

Vegeta flew at top speed towards the tallest mountain on the Western horizon. Not thinking about where he was going. It just so happened that mountain was none other than mount Paozu. As he drew closer a familiar energy signature flared and an instant later Goku was in front of him. Shifting his trajectory a fraction, Vegeta flew past the other Saiyan. Ignoring Kakarot the prince continued towards his destination.

Goku and Gohan happened to be home for the day so Gohan could do some studying as Chi-Chi requested. Earth's protector had been outside chopping wood for Chi-Chi when he felt Vegeta approaching the area at breakneck speed. It made him curious, although he had felt Vegeta nearby a few times over the past couple years the other Saiyan usually steered clear of the area and never had he gotten this close before. It seemed to Goku that Vegeta was headed for the mountain and not for his home. He had to wonder why after the last year and a half of avoiding him like the plague was Vegeta venturing so close?

"_Yup he's headed for the mountain,"_ Goku thought as he assessed the other Saiyan's trajectory.

"Dad! Dad! What's going on? Why's _he_ coming here?" Gohan yelled out his bedroom window.

"Don't worry Gohan, Vegeta's on his way to mount Paozu not here. I'm gonna go make sure he isn't going to destroy the mountain. Be back soon!" and with that Goku surged his ki and flew into the sky to intercept Vegeta. "_I hope I can convince him to stay with Bulma, Trunks is such a great kid he deserves his dad, and it would be good for Vegeta too,"_ earth's protector thought as he stopped directly in Vegeta's path, but the prince just altered his course a degree and blew past.

"Whoa Vegeta, where are you headed in such a hurry?" Goku asked as he caught up and flew beside the other Saiyan. "Having trouble with Bulma?" He teased.

Vegeta stopped dead and stared at the other man for a moment.

Goku was uneasy and now worried he might have said too much and irrevocably fucked up the future for his fellow Saiyan and his dear friend Bulma. He opened his mouth to back peddle but never got a word in. Vegeta took him by surprise and hit Goku right in the jaw.

Did everyone know of Bulma's attraction for him but the prince himself? Furious, and needing an outlet for his rage he struck the other Saiyan with all the pier he could put into a right hook. At the moment of contact, he saw the weakling, Yamcha's face superimposed over Goku's.

Goku had a few seconds, after the shock and pain of the violent contact wore off, to think about how he needed to be more careful with his words towards Vegeta at the moment. Also, he wagered Vegeta was very close to reaching Super Saiyan, the prince was twice as strong as he'd been before his final fight with Frieza. Goku needed to find out exactly where the relationship between the prince of Saiyans and Bulma was at so he didn't mess things up. With the arrival of the androids barely over a year away he had assumed Bulma might already be pregnant, but now he wasn't so sure. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he failed to notice Vegeta was below him and about to strike him into the ground. He figured he'd let the man blow off a bit of steam, then he would probe the prince for information.

They sparred for the next hour, Vegeta getting in several hits and Goku landed twice as many but tried to keep it friendly, or as friendly as possible.

During a pause, where they both needed to catch their breath, Goku finally asked, "So what's eating you? You can talk to me Vegeta, this doesn't always need to be a fight."

"Like I need to talk about my life with anyone, be it you or that infernal woman!" Vegeta shot back in his rage at still not being able to best the third-class Saiyan.

"Believe me I get it, Bulma can be a pain in the ass. You know we used to travel a lot together when we were kids? She was always making trouble and the screeching! Sometimes my left ear still rings from her shouting in it so many times." Goku confessed.

Vegeta couldn't hide the smirk that Bulma in all of the fragility was able to do some long term damage to his rival, but he quickly tried to cover it with a scoff.

"You know I'm glad you are staying here, and with the Briefs', I think it's good for Bulma to get to know how other men are. For as much as I used to look up to Yamcha and he is my friend, he and Bulma aren't really that good for each other. There isn't any respect between them anymore." Goku cringed not sure if he had said too much.

Vegeta saw red with the mention of the weakling and went on the offensive attacking Goku with renewed vigor. For the next fifteen minutes, they shot around the sky not able to land a single hit on the other always blocking and striking only to be blocked. Goku began to ponder what he should say next and hoped he could convince Vegeta that Bulma was good for him too. In his internal musings he let his guard down and Vegeta threw a hammer fist into Goku's left ear.

"Ow ow owww!" Goku whined as he held his ear and danced through the air in his surprised pain. "Did you have to hit me in the ear? Geeze Vegeta, that hurt!"

"Quit your whining Kakarot and fight me!" Vegeta growled.

"Not if you're going to be such a jerk, jeez. What the heck? Why are you out here anyway? You've been on earth for years and you haven't sought me out once until today. So what gives?"

"I didn't seek you, I simply wished to venture to that mountain," Vegeta thrust a hand towards mount Paozu. "It was you that put yourself in my path."

"Fair enough, but that still didn't answer my question."

"I don't have to answer to you, so just stay out of my way!" Vegeta was livid.

Goku decided to switch tactics and said, "Well I hope you haven't done anything to damage the professor's home, or hurt Bulma."

"I wouldn't harm her, she is-" Vegeta stopped before he embarrassed himself. He could feel the blush burning his cheeks and balling his fists at his sides looked down and away.

Smiling triumphantly Goku finished for Vegeta, "like a princess." Goku let a small laugh out at the way Vegeta's head snapped back up, not sure if it would simply snap off his neck. "It's true, well, at least by earth standards. I mean there is some royalty around but they all have a lot less power than the Briefs' wield through Capsule Corp. Bulma, she could rule this planet if she ever settled down. That girl has a wild side."

Vegeta wasn't sure what to say. He had known the humans he stayed with were among the most elite by the backward earth standards, but to hear this idiot say as much was shocking.

"She and the weakling ended their...whatever it was, the other night," Vegeta wondered why he had offered that info, but deep down knew he wanted more insight on the bluenette.

"Ha, did she finally catch him cheating?" Vegeta gave a single nod. "Yeah, he's been unfaithful for a long time, almost since the beginning. In my youth, I didn't know what it was or how much it meant to Bulma. I had thought he had stopped, that's why I never called him out, but I guess I was wrong. How is she holding up? They have been together for a long time, he owes her his life."

"What do you mean by that Kakarott?" Vegeta asked angrily.

"Oh, well," Goku frowned outwardly but inwardly he was pleased he got Vegeta to start talking and asking questions about the future mother of the prince's heir. "Yamcha was the dreaded desert bandit before we met him. Bulma is the reason he isn't still out there robbing and murdering. She's the reason he turned his life around and has started to make something of himself. He owes her everything, but she could do better."

"She did all of that and yet he-," Vegeta cut himself off, that was not his truth to tell. He was, however, surprised to learn the weakling had been an enemy in the beginning, much like Vegeta himself.

"He what, Vegeta?" Goku asked curiously, he didn't think Yamcha would ever be cruel to Bulma, but he had not spent much time around them since he was a little kid, and they seemed pretty toxic as adults.

"Mmm," Vegeta grunted, not willing to say any more on the subject.

"Is she okay?" Goku wasn't sure how to feel, they were two of his oldest friends and he loved them both. Future trunks didn't seem to know specifics about his mother and Yamcha's relationship, but he couldn't see Bulma disparaging the dead either.

"Of course she is!" Vegeta gritted his teeth and battled with himself again. Not liking the insinuation he couldn't protect his chosen female, but infuriated he would even entertain the notion. Instead, he went on the offensive and attached Kakarott again.

He didn't realize how much he'd needed a good spar. Kakarott was the only one in this measly little planet that could give him the challenge he needed to better himself. The two most powerful beings on Earth continued to push the other towards their true potential until the sound of a female voice carried up from the ground below.

They both heard Goku being called by his female. "Shit, well this was fun Vegeta, thanks for the spar I gotta go before chichi decides to beat me with a frying pan again. Her temper is almost as scary as Bulma's. BYE! Oh, please don't blow the mountain up, it's kinda important us earthlings." and with that Goku vanished, leaving a very confused Vegeta hovering in the air.

Vegeta was left there floating in the air, fuming after the retreating Kakarott. Wondering why the fool offered up so much information on the subject of the woman? He chalked it up to the other Saiyan's lack of intelligence and continued to the mountain. His frustration had dissipated somewhat with the impromptu sparring match they had. And he settled into a place near a hidden waterfall where he could meditate.

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Notes: The next chapter is going to be a bit longer. Mostly because Vegeta has a lot to discuss with himself, the Ego needs to do as Bulma has told him since Namek and lighten up.

A BIG THANK YOU to those supporting this story so far!

KayKayAlexus, you are the first to favorite my little story.

RoyalBlueRoses, you are this works first follower and reviewer! Thank you for the compliment and I'm thrilled you are enjoying my version of Vegeta's perspective! I hope you enjoy the next one even more!


	7. Chapter 7

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

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AN: I hope you enjoyed the last chapter, I know the two Saiyans didn't see each other over the 3-year gap but Goku was necessary for his comic relief, the last few chapters were pretty heavy.

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Hovering in the air in the mist pouring out of the waterfall with his legs folded with his feet both on top of his thighs, Vegeta went deep within himself to confront his instincts, that great ape within. It was waiting for him and unleashed a vicious string of snarls and growls. It demanded to know why he had been neglecting their female, Vegeta countered that she wasn't theirs. Not yet but they didn't make her any less theirs was its reply. Vegeta scoffed and insisted that a weak human was not fit for the prince of all Saiyans. It countered that Vegeta-sai was gone and he was a prince of nothing now. They may be among the strongest in the universe, but the third class was indeed stronger, and the humans were already proven to be compatible with the Saiyan race. Furthermore, within their weakness was a strong will to survive and it obviously allowed for the majority of Saiyan traits to come through during procreation. Vegeta was aghast that the ape was interested in such things as offspring and mates, and insisted it was beneath them. The ape snarled that it was not beneath them to seek to produce heirs of incredible strength. The third-class had an heir. What made Kakarott more deserving of that than the prince? Mating was his right as a former ruler, producing heirs would be a slap in the face of Frieza and king cold. Creating more Saiyans was his duty to his ancestors. How dare Vegeta claims the right to end the Saiyan race when he had the chance to further it. Vegeta argued that he didn't end the race, Frieza did, how dare the ape accuse him of something so dishonorable. Oh, no? So to attain power and die eventually without passing on that strength and the heritage and culture of the great warrior race wasn't honorable? It wasn't noble? It wasn't his birthright? It wasn't his responsibility? If not the prince than who, that third-class clown that didn't even know the first thing of what it meant to be Saiyan? Vegeta didn't have a response to that and concede the ape's point but groaned about the fragility of earthlings. It laughed at him and told him to do something before it took over his senses and forced him to act. Vegeta snarled at it protectively fearing it would injure the delicate female, and it laughed at him again to drive its point home. Before receding, it told him to stop being a fool and accept what he knows to be true and stop living in denial.

Vegeta then opened his eyes to see the view out of the gorge across the wilderness out to the sea and the islands where west city rested, and the only creature he longed to see. Still not comfortable with the idea of offspring, Vegeta knew if he didn't act his instincts could do irreversible damage to the woman. Thinking about her brought back images from their encounter a few days back and he felt his pants tightening around his groin. He had to admit she was the most gorgeous specimen he'd laid eyes on and couldn't wait to see the rest of her.

He had started masturbating the morning after he had returned to earth over a year ago. At first, there was a mixture of different images in his head, some of Bulma, others of times Frieza had forced him to come. It made him sick, but he kept trying to filter out those awful things by concentrating on every detail he knew of Bulma and her body. It hadn't been working until recently, after their encounter in the kitchen he had the taste of her, the feel of her and the sound of her pleasure to banish the trauma from his mind when he pleased himself. None of that made Vegeta any less nervous about trying. Could he even perform? Would he be haunted by his past? What if he lost control and hurt her because of every terrible thing that had happened to him resurfaced and like when he'd imagined hitting the weakling but it was Kakarot and he damaged Bulma...or worse, killed her?

The prince jolted with the forceful cry that thundered through his mind. The beast would never allow her to die at their hand and if the stubborn prince would let the monkey lead him, accept the assistance for once in his fucking life, they would be able to overcome the past. Besides, sitting around wondering 'what if' and _quitting_ before even trying was cowardly and unbecoming for the Prince of Saiyans. Those sneaky instincts knew exactly which buttons to push and Vegeta knew he needed to prove not only to them but himself as well that he could do this. How difficult could it be

Back in West City, Bulma was finishing up at work, it was late afternoon and she had been very productive and was ahead of schedule. Pleased with the amount of work she completed and caught up on she made her way out of the building with a spring in her step that hadn't been there since bringing Yamcha back to life after Namek. She was excited to go home and hoped Vegeta would be there and might finally talk to her again. However she had decided to let him come to her, he wanted her physically and cared for her wellbeing, so it would only be a matter of time before he sought her out. She was irresistible after all, and the prince wouldn't be able to find anyone better on this planet. For a fleeting moment, she worried he might leave and find someone else out in the universe. She knew that there were other life forms out there and many were much stronger than her, but how many had her brains? She dismissed the thought, the prince was here on this planet and was sticking around for at least another year so. Who cared what might happen after the androids? She was going to make the most of her life right now and hopefully know once and for all what it was like to have a Saiyan in her bed. Stepping out the door to the heli-lot Bulma made her way into the sunshine and her face fell as she saw who was waiting there.

Waiting with a bouquet was none other than Yamcha. He smiled brightly at her, a smile that used to make her knees weak, now it just made her stomach turn. Bulma kept her face impassive as she raised her chin and walked past the Zfighter. Frustrated Yamcha chased after her.

"Come on Bulma I'm sorry, you know I love you. I want us to work this out. I promise it will never happen again," Yamcha said in a rather arrogant fashion, assuming this wouldn't take very long even though she was being stubborn.

Bulma stopped and released the capsule that held her chopper then turned to face her ex with her hands on her hips. He smiled that smile again and she scowled at him imitating Vegeta as best she could. Reaching her hand out without a word she stretched her fingers towards the bouquet. Yamcha was delighted she was going to accept the bouquet, it was the first step in getting her to forgive him. He offered the bouquet and watched as she pulled it to her and took a deep whiff of floral arrangement, the smile never waiving on his face. That is until she frowned down at the flowers and smacked him over the head with it.

"You fucking asshole!" she shouted. "You think I'm going to forgive you?" she hit him again and petals bust from the bouquet. "You think you can weasel your way back into my bed? Go fuck yourself Yamcha! We are done for good. I'm not going to forgive you for the way you have treated me, how much you have lied to me, and your blatant disrespect and disregard for me and my feelings," she smacked him with the bouquet again and again throughout her tirade until all the petals were either clinging to him or scattered on the ground around him. Tossing the stems and sticks back at his face roughly she finished with, "Now leave me alone," and then she turned and hopped into her chopper and went home. Leaving him there stunned by her rejection.

Back at home Bulma went straight to her room and took a nice long bath. She felt amazing, even though she was mad at Yamcha she had found she was immune to his groveling, and that was empowering. She hadn't felt this strong in years, and the tech engineer rather liked it. Relaxing in the bath she basked in her feelings and thought back to the other night when she was finally released from the oppression of her tumultuous relationship that had grown quite toxic. Bulma began to tease her own body, remembering the passionate look in Vegeta's eyes the open hunger. His rough, calloused, firm hands one her holding and caressing her gently with his lethal grace. His tongue and growls and the way they vibrated through her body. Bulma quickly reached her climax and basked in the afterglow of her orgasm as she enjoyed the final minutes of her bath.

Vegeta waited until it was nearly dinner time to return to the Capsule Corp home. His home, he admitted to himself. It was the only place he had ever been accepted and allowed freedom without the constant threat of death or battle of some kind looming over him. He had decided he would go to her, she had come looking for him twice of the past couple of days and now he was ready to face up to what his instincts were screaming at him. He entered the kitchen through the rear door of the house. There he found both of Bulma's parents. The blonde woman was cooking something that smelled amazing, and the doctor was sitting at the table reading a magazine.

"Oh hello, V! How was your training today?"

"Hnn," he grunted noncommittally. In truth he hadn't trained all that much, aside from his spar with Kakarott and the two hours before breakfast he had spent the rest of the day meditating and thinking up the best way to approach the blue-haired female. Being in her parents' presence was slightly nerve-racking. Burying his nerves he made his way to the hall and the stairs that led to his quarters. He wanted a shower and something in his stomach before making his move. When he reached the bottom of the stairs the blonde woman called out to him.

"After you wash up be a dear and let Bulma know dinner is almost ready. She's been cooped up in her room all evening."

Vegeta cringed, this woman was always interfering in his plans. But he found it hard to deny her. She was such a simple thing after all. He didn't respond, he just climbed the stairs and retreated to his quarters. Stripping out of his gloves, boots, chest and back armor, and flight suit he entered his shower and let the cool water run over his body. His thoughts wandered as he washed the sweat, dirt, and blood away. He made quick work of cleaning himself then stepped out of the shower. Using his ki to dry himself he walked to his wardrobe and selected a pair of boxer briefs, grey sweatpants, and a black tank top.

Bluma was still laying in her bath when she heard the water in the pipes start moving and sprayed into the shower on the other side of the wall from her. It was Vegeta's shower, he had come back! She suddenly felt very nervous and jumped out of the bath, draining it and drying herself off quickly. She dressed in record time - into a pink tube top and white short shorts - took one last look in the mirror and rushed out of her room. Stopping in front of Vegeta's door she hesitated when she heard his heavy footsteps moving around his room.

What was she doing? She had decided he had to come to her. Hadn't she? And now here she was outside his door. Kicking herself she pulled away and returned to her room. Closing the door she leaned against it and sighed. Her heart was pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears. She hoped he would come to find her soon. She wasn't sure how long she would be able to wait.

Pulling his top over his head he paused while pulling it down his body. Bulma was outside his door! He could feel her ki it was fluctuating wildly with indecision. Part of him wanted her to knock so he could drag her into his room and have his way with her now. But another part hoped she didn't, he wasn't quite ready for this. His instincts flared and roared at him for procrastinating and he fought to maintain control. During his internal battle, he didn't notice when Bulma retreated to her room.

Exiting his quarters he was hit with the fresh clean scent of her, along with the lavender and jasmine of her bath soap. It was pleasing and complementary to her scent. He didn't like it when she wore all those extra scents to mask her own. He unconsciously followed it back to her door and was puzzled by the fact that she was pressed against the interior of it. Deciding it would be fun to startle her, he knocked once and heard her jump and squeak at the surprise.

Smiling to himself he said, "The evening meal is ready, woman," and proceeded down the stairs to eat before his instincts forced him into her room.

Bulma was trying to calm her thoughts when a loud knock sounded from the other side right by her head. She quickly jumped away and slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. She glared at the door while the man on the other side spoke. He had either done that on purpose or just hadn't been paying attention to her location within her room. As the latter was highly unlikely - the Saiyan was always paying attention - she stomped her foot and felt embarrassed he had managed to frighten her.

He was on the top of the staircase when he heard her stomp her foot and couldn't hold in the chuckle that escaped his chest. He did so enjoy flustering her. Bulma could hear him chuckling as he made his way down the stairs and she double-checked herself in the mirror and followed after Vegeta.

The household ate in relative silence. Vegeta had a constant smirk on his face and was seated directly across from Bulma. He was maintaining constant eye contact with her, and it was making her nervous. She squirmed in her seat, lost in her wonderings about the Prince's unwavering attention, that was directed solely towards her. So distracted by her thoughts was she that Bulma missed a question her father asked her.

Chuckling at the surprise on the woman's face and at how she was tripping over her tongue in her attempt to recover from her distracted state. She glared at him when she heard the self-satisfied "hehehe" leave Vegeta's lips. She would've kicked him under the table if it hadn't been futile, it's not like it would hurt him. He probably would've laughed even harder at her. Instead, she glowered at him and his cocky little smirk while she asked her father to repeat himself.

"I was just asking if you and Yamcha had any plans this weekend?" Dr. Briefs asked, oblivious to the way two youngest members of his household were engaged in some kind of battle of witts.

Bulma gulped and caught the way Vegeta's smirk faltered. For a split second, before turning to face her parents, concern, and jealousy flashed in Vegeta's eyes. He quickly controlled it and allowed his smirk to fall into a sneer. Bulma filled it away into the growing mountain of observations she was gathering on this Saiyan's behavior and informed her parents about her latest relationship development.

"I ended things with Yamcha on Friday night," Bulma said.

"Oh, honey was your anniversary that bad?" Her mother asked and glanced at Vegeta for a second before her daughter looked up from her plate.

When her mother brought up the reason for her Friday night dinner Bulma looked down at her plate and felt the pang of residual jealousy and insecurity from being so humiliated by Yamcha's callous cheating. Much to Bulma's surprise, Vegeta chimed in.

"I am surprised you didn't hear them in here fighting," the prince offered. He wasn't sure what to say. All he knew was that he wanted to relieve her humiliation and didn't want to give up information that would further embarrass the woman, but that seemed to backfire when she blushed even more. Kicking himself he bit his tongue and thanked the kami he hadn't added the part about broken dishes.

"Oh, no dear. They fight so much we've been wearing earplugs to sleep for the last seven years." Mrs. Briefs offered to Vegeta along with a genuine smile. She knew he had feelings for Bulma, just because she acted like a ditz didn't make her stupid. She had been watching when he thought no one was looking and would let his gaze linger on Bulma as she moved through the house. She had witnessed more than once the secret smile that pulled at his mouth when her daughter would do something exceptionally Bulma. It warmed her heart to think her daughter finally had a man after her for your quirks and personality and not just her body and money. Panchy had always liked Yamcha, he meant well and was a nice enough boy, but he wasn't mature enough or confident enough to meet Bulma halfway in their relationship. Until Vegeta had come home with her two years ago, mini had feared her daughter might settle for less than the complete happiness Bulma deserved. Vegeta was the kind of man that would move into her daughter's temper and take everything the bluenette could dish out. He wouldn't run from a fight and could challenge Bulma to be the absolute best she could. Just like her daughter could for the prince. She knew the alien had a very hard life before coming to be on Earth the second time. She could tell he was haunted by the things he'd done and things that had been done too him. No one became a (whatever Vegeta had been) by choice, he had been forced to do the terrible things he'd done. Although he struggled with changing his ways, Vegeta was doing well adjusting to a peaceful existence. Panchy hoped her daughter would wake up and realize there was a perfect man that _wanted_ to change for the better right under her nose.

Bulma looked at the warrior prince sharing her table for a moment, stunned he jumped into the conversation at all. She wasn't sure how she felt about that either. On one hand, it was none of his business and he should let her deal with this on her own. On the other hand, she was glad he had pulled her mother's attention off of her momentarily and blushed at the memory of what happened against the wall behind Vegeta after her fight with Yamcha.

Vegeta wasn't sure why someone would willingly make themselves deaf while sleeping and missed the look Bulma had given him. Only catching her deepened blush and missed the scent of her arousal under the aroma of all the food that loaded the table. Returning to his meal he decided to keep his mouth shut lest he embarrasses her further, or worse embarrass himself.

Bulma confessed to her parents about Yamcha's cheating and the fight afterward. How he had followed her home and cornered her in the kitchen where Vegeta removed him from the house after she had told Yamcha to leave several times. Omitting the part about breaking half a set of dishes, and how Vegeta had cleaned them up, not thinking the prince would appreciate having his kind act of selflessness made public. Besides, she rather enjoyed having it be their little secret, no one else alive would believe it anyway. She also left out what happened after that for obvious reasons.

"He even came by the lab today," Bulma admitted. She was looking right at Vegeta when he snapped his eyes back up to hers, and continued, "He came with flowers and begged me to forgive him, but I refused. I'm finished with him, what he did was unforgivable and I deserve more."

"Bulma!" Her mother screeched causing Vegeta to flinch and shudder at the high pitched volume, breaking the intense gaze between the younger pair. The Saiyan grunted and turned away from Panchy as she continued, "I'm so glad you are moving on. It's high time you found a husband. You are too strong for Yamcha, you need a man with more potential, like Vegeta."

At the mention of his name Vegeta got the food he was eating stuck in his throat and coughed violently to remove it. What was with the blonde woman, such talk was highly inappropriate. He and Bulma hadn't even discussed their mutual attraction let alone mating and certainly not _marriage_.

"Chew your food before you swallow, V," Panchy scolded Vegeta as if she hadn't just told her daughter to marry him.

Astonished at the audacity of her mother Bulma turned into a tomato and buried her face in her hands. Luckily her father changed the subject back to his reason behind his initial inquiry.

"I see, well, I was asking because I finally finished the new system for the gravity chamber controls. I was going to install it but I need to travel to East city for a meeting with the Eastern branch and I need you to install it for Vegeta. There are also system updates for all the bots that need to be run and the house mainframe needs to be debugged. I'll be leaving in the morning after breakfast and I'm taking your mother with me, we will return on Sunday. I hope I can count on you to get all of this done while we're gone."

"Of course dad," Bulma was a little nervous to be alone with Vegeta for the next five and a half days. Especially with the way he had been staring at her all night. "Don't sweat it, just leave the notes out for the control panel so I can reference them. Everything else should be a snap."

Vegeta had returned to feeding himself in silence and began contemplating if he should postpone his plan for 24 hours. He was uncomfortable with the idea that if he rutted with the blue-haired bombshell they might be overheard by her parents. Then he remembered her mother's confession about their earplugs, but with the news of the weakling being dismissed would they still wear them? As he cleared off his fifth helping Vegeta returned his gaze to the woman he desired. Racking his eyes up what he could see of her body he settled on her perfect blue depths, his smirk returning with her reaction.

Bulma had been watching Vegeta through her lashes when she returned to eating. She witnessed when his eyes returned to her and how he blatantly checked her out. Stunned she glanced from side to side checking if either of her parents had also seen his brazen act of desire. They hadn't from what she could tell. She gave him a look that asked if he was crazy but it only brought back his wicked teasing smirk. Bulma was beginning to wonder if he had hit his head or something, this was not like him at all.

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Notes: The next chapter will be a heavy lemon. Okay... a few, all rolled into one. Don't you dare judge V either! If he never failed he never would've gotten to where he is today (poised to be the greatest fighter in several universes!) if you follow the manga that is. AAHHH! I can't wait for his ultimate power! I'm so happy for him!


	8. Chapter 8

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

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AN: Reminder this chapter is just a giant lemon, and no judging Vegeta.

WOOT another favorite!

Thank you to all of you beautiful reviewers! I love reading the reviews! This chapter is for you!

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After dinner was finished Bulma retreated up to her room in an attempt to hide from the burning gaze of Vegeta's obsidian depths. how could anyone's eyes be that color? The bluenette had lived with this guy for almost two years but she had never realized that his eyes weren't really **black**, they were a dark metallic. Just like antique silver or pewter, and were very expressive when he wanted them to be. Shaking herself Bulma put thoughts of the prince at the back of her mind, Vegeta needed to come to her if he wanted more.

Immersing herself into a book on molecular biology. It was a new fascination she had developed ever since getting her hands on Vegeta's flight suits. Losing track of time three hours had passed when a single and sudden knock at her door made her jump, dumping the book onto the floor. Walking over to her door she flung it open, prepared to yell at whoever was on the other side for scaring her. But she hadn't expected it to be Vegeta there leaning over her with both hands raised bracing the frame. He lifted his eyes to hers and she gasped at the intensity of his gaze. Without a word, Bulma placed a hand behind his head and he let her pull him into her room. Closing the door behind him, Vegeta used a hand on her lower back and crushed her body into his. He growled appreciatively when she chortled a small whimper in her throat.

"You finally came." She whispered.

"Were you waiting for me?" He asked in a seductive and husky tone that sent shivers down her spine.

"Maybe," she teased and earned a wicked smirk from him.

"I could leave," he turned away slightly.

"No!" Bulma practically shouted in his face and grappled for a hold on his frame.

"Hehehe," Vegeta had gotten exactly what he wanted. He knew that she wanted him physically and he needed her to show her willingness was genuine and not born of desperation. He only hoped she might someday want him just as much as he wanted her and in the same way. "You certainly are eager, aren't you?"

Bulma blushed at the innuendo, but didn't let it phase her, "Oh, shut up and kiss me already."

He didn't need to be told twice and with that, he leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss that stole her breath.

They were almost frantic in their need for each other. Bulma was hornier than she'd realized, after the other night something inside her had awakened and wanted more of what the Saiyan could offer. Her scientific mind was brimming with curiosity over the potential differences between Earthmen and Saiyan's. Aside from the physical strength of the alien, what might being sexual with one entail? She needed to know, and she craved the sensation of Vegeta's hands on her body. There was something incredibly arousing about the simple fact he could kill her with one little point of his finger, that he could drive his hand straight through her, or rip her limb from limb. Yet he was so careful, his touch firm but gentle, it proved his level of control over his strength. And Bulma found it eternally flattering that he would exude such control for her comfort.

As they tore at each other's clothes Vegeta lifted Bulma off the floor with an arm around her waist and walked them to her bed. Her knees gripped his hips and dragged the sweatpants he was wearing to ride lower with each step he took. With the smell of her arousal growing stronger, his instincts screamed at him to take her now before she could reject him. He kissed his way down her neck and stopped when he reached the upper hem of her top, using his teeth he pulled it down halfway, leaving her nipples barely covered. Vegeta wasn't sure if he could handle seeing her nake chest just yet. Instead, he ran his nose up her chest, over the curve of her breast, nipping her collarbone as he went. Vegeta pulled her tighter against him, hands roaming her back, hips grinding into her and nibbled his way up her neck to behind her ear. Where he inhaled deeply of her scent - jasmine, and lemon. He could devour this woman her scent alone was enough to drive him crazy, and the thought that he was about to have her body dawned on him and he hesitated.

Bulma panicked when the prince of Saiyans hesitated and did the only thing she could think of. Wrapping her legs around his waist she pressed her heat to his hardened shaft where it was covered only in his boxers. His sweatpants having ridden lower as they moved against each other.

"Vegeta, please… please, I want you so much," the bluenette begged him to finish what they'd started. It seemed to work and he laid her on her bed.

Those deathly strong hands slid over her curves to her hips and Vegeta pulled back to glance at the button on her shorts. Clenching Bulma's hips for a second before Vegeta loosened his hold entirely. Quickly - with his inhuman speed - he unfastened her shorts and stripped them down her creamy smooth legs. The prince dove back to her mouth seducing her with the gentle stroking of his tongue over hers, his hands wandering up her body and under the top that still covered her breasts. She moaned into the kiss spurring him on to play with the soft mounds. Gently, so as not to injure the delicate flesh, Vegeta tried to exude confidence while he held and manipulated her perfect chest. In a painfully slow movement, he positioned her nipples between his thumb and finger, pinching and twisting them making her arch her back off the bed and throwing her head back cried out with pleasure. Her reactions and the drugging spike in her scent snapped his control.

Dragging his hands down to grip her rear Vegeta lifted her ass off the bed as he kneeled between her legs pressing himself firmly into her core. She was only in her top and panties, resting on her shoulders - her legs still wrapping his hips - she couldn't believe the size of the erection she could feel pressing and rubbing against her. Vegeta was aware of nothing but her arousal as the scent lifted from her, filling his lungs and clouding his mind. He tore her panties off with one hand. Then he used it to push his boxers down and plunged himself into her. Savoring the feel of her tight depths, before retreating almost fully and driving into her again.

Bulma cried out first in annoyance that he had just literally ripped her panties off. Then in surprised pleasure mixed with a tiny bit of pain at the sudden intrusion. Her insides stretched to accommodate the size and girth of him - had to be at least three centimeters longer and nearly twice the width of Yamcha's. Berating herself she tried not to compare Vegeta to the only other man she's been with. When he pulled out until only the tip remained and drove into her again, Bulma banished any thoughts of her first lover from her mind. This was where she wanted to be, here and now with Vegeta.

The woman in his arms was writhing with pleasure, grappling to hold on to him and just as eager to move with his thrusts. On his fifth plunge, he felt a pressure building at the base of his spine and on the next retreat, he felt like she was sucking him back in and lost himself, exploding inside her as his tip strained against her womb. He let go of her hips, collapsing with her and braced himself over top of her on his hands. Hanging his head he panted as if he'd just fought for his life, and slowly the fog in his mind lifted and he realized what had happened.

Bulma was a little disappointed at how quickly it had ended. She had just been getting into it when he'd come and stopped moving to catch his breath. Feeling awkward and a little...used when he stiffened she sighed and let her grip on Vegeta lax and fall away.

Vegeta froze and couldn't bring himself to look at her. He felt ashamed that he had taken her so abruptly and finished without giving her the satisfaction of the climax. When she let go of him and sighed he looked at her despite himself - Vegeta knew what he'd see in her cobalt eyes - and cursed himself a fool twice over. His instincts had gotten the better of him and had used her to stake his claim. So much for letting them lead him, that bastard ape was now silent.

Leaning down he nuzzled into her neck and purred in her ear, "Veknella... veknella, zinbo aparr... " he could feel her shiver and the goose flesh spread over her body.

The exotic words meant nothing to Bulma. However, his hot breath against her ear sent shivers through her body, hardening her nipples under the rough and bunched fabric of her top where they pressed against his hard chest. Shifting her hips in silent encouragement to pull out already, Bulma realized he was still semi-hard and was growing again.

Vegeta ran the palm of his right hand down her side to rest against the curve of where her ass started and her back ended. "Again," the prince said in that husky purr he'd been using with her since he'd entered her room.

Maybe she would get more out of him after all. There was something about this that was nagging at her, something familiar in the hungry, cautious, hesitant and almost clumsy way Vegeta had been handling himself since he'd come into her room. The way he seemed to have lost control and finished so abruptly. The word _virgin_ flitted across her mind, but she dismissed it immediately. There was no way Vegeta was a virgin, he'd conquered dozens of planets living as a space pirate and slave to Frieza. He'd probably had his way with hundreds of space whores and might have even raped a few women before they were added to the piles of corpses he'd left in his wake. She tried not to think about any of that and concentrate on enjoying his kisses and the way he was touching her.

Alas, the more she tried to push the thought away, the more everything started to add up that as of ten minutes ago Vegeta had been a virgin. He was usually extremely uncomfortable with physical contact that wasn't violent. So much so that when she'd touched his arm the first time he'd blushed fiercely and pulled away from her. He still always stiffened when another would touch him. He would become so embarrassed by course and vulgar speech that he would shout and hide his face, which was normally rivaling the color of a tomato. He seemed less in control the first time like he didn't know what to do. He tried his best to hide it but certain things with him seemed off. He had finished quickly and was already in gear for round two. Vegeta had never been one to lack confidence yet she couldn't shake this feeling that he was doing this all for the first time.

Feeling renewed and encouraged by her hands returning to his back he lifted himself over her on his hands and pressed his hips into hers. He began pumping in and out of her at a controlled steady pace, watching her carefully. Vegeta wanted to know how to best give her pleasure, in case the next time his instincts took over she would still experience a climax. When he found an angle that made Bulma moan deep in her throat Vegeta stuck with it and experimented with his thrusts. The prince of Saiyans quickly learned the woman liked a sharper angle with their bodies nearly perpendicular and slow thrusts that were leisure on the retreat and halfway upon re-entry hard forceful thrusts. She would thrash her head wildly when he would quicken his pace a bit and shorten his thrusts so it was only hard short thrusts, crying out in a higher tone and her body would begin to tense up. Also if he played with her nipples while gyrating his hips in pressing into her depths she would cry out and her walls would clamp around him, their flesh created the most exquisite friction. The fact that she liked it hard and a bit feral boosted his confidence, the last thing he wanted was to hurt her. Vegeta also figured out that if he concentrated on her, losing himself in her body and reactions, it was far easier to postpone his climax.

A purring growl had begun in his chest a couple of minutes into round two, Vegeta seemed unaware or unconcerned by it. Bulma thought it was the sexiest thing any man could do until he chortled, then it was possibly the cutest thing she'd ever seen. She moaned in response and he did it again. The scientist soon realized he was lost in her and not holding back. A huge smile breaking out across her face, she dragged her nails up the sides of his well-chiseled back and enjoyed the way his purr stuttered again. With that, she threw out her earlier woes and let herself get lost in Vegeta and all the wonderful things he was doing to her.

It was still a little strange, Vegeta didn't know what to do but was learning quickly what she liked and how to drive her wild for him.

Bulma came quickly after Vegeta started with an angle that dragged his shaft over her clit. He slowed after that and continued to play around, reading her every reaction. He began alternating between slow languid thrusts that dragged over her sensitive nub and powering into her bumping his tip into her cervix after rubbing it over the flat pad that caused her to make moaning chortling music with her sweet voice. Her second orgasm Bulma grabbed Vegeta's ass to hold him firm, and she accidentally touched the scar where his tail used to be. At the contact with his scar, he had a flash of memory with Frieza and he went rigid. Vegeta tried to calm his racing heart closing his eyes shut so he wouldn't ruin the current experience. With his pause, Bulma looked up to his face and gasped he looked like he was in pain. Releasing his ass she brought her hands up to cup his face, she stroked her thumbs over the arch of his cheeks.

"Vegeta… hey, it's okay… Vegeta?" Bulma crooned softly.

He growled a little deeper than normal and nuzzled into her touch. He concentrated on her voice until the images of Frieza faded away. Opening his eyes he first saw her perfect chest, the top having been forced below her bust while he had been a little rougher, and marveled at the glorious glow coming from her body. Dragging his gaze up to meet hers, he was pleased to find an adoring smile spreading across her lips, revealing her teeth. She pressed the arch of her feet into the backs of his thighs and stocked them up while arching her back and pressing herself into him.

A feral growl ripped from him and he kissed her roughly pushing his tongue in to taste her sweet mouth. Bulma moaned into his mouth and warred against him with her tongue. In a split second Vegeta pulled away from and out of her, flipped her over onto her stomach and lifted her into her knees. He gripped her hips roughly and plunged into her heated core, his control gone again. Bulma didn't know her little act of using her feet on his legs, the smile that showed her teeth, the way she wiggled and pressed herself into him, and the giggled moan muffled through their kiss - all were stark displays of submission and desire for the great monkey inside of Vegeta, and it wanted a second chance to give her pleasure too.

The change of position was a surprise but she didn't complain when he returned to her. He was pounding away at her pushing deep with hard fast thrusts pushing her closer to another orgasm. This was the wild fucking she had been expecting from the alien prince, and it was better than she'd hoped. Gone was his gentle treatment but it only spurred her need higher. Where he was holding her hips there was a slight pain from his fingertips digging into her flesh, Bulma was positive she would have bruises in the pattern of his grip tomorrow. He leaned over her and growled a chortling call, she moaned and whimpered in response and he drove into her faster and faster at inhuman speed. Bulma couldn't hold on any longer the tight coil of pleasure in her core snapped and she screamed Vegeta's name with her climax. Vegeta was lost in the pleasure of her tight little body, he had to slow his thrusts as her walls became almost painfully tight as she screamed his name. Her tight walls were dragging him into oblivion and on his third thrust after her climax, he came deep inside her. They moved against each other as they rode out their orgasms, and his seed continued to spill into her.

They collapsed onto the bed Vegeta was careful to pull them to their sides so he didn't crush the bluenette. He pulled her back flush to his front, wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling into her hair. Still joined at the hip Vegeta began to doze off, he hadn't felt this content since his infancy, or possibly ever. Bulma whimpered when his limp manhood finally slipped out of her, and Vegeta jumped awake behind her. He pulled back and she shivered at the rush of air over her sweat coated skin.

"Are... are you... I-I didn't... You're not injured are you?" Vegeta asked cautiously, scanning what he could see of her body for injury. He felt shame at having lost control of his instincts for the second time with her.

Bulma rolled over to face him and giggled at the look on Vegeta's face. He hadn't expected the euphoric smile she sported and his surprise showed making her giggle. The bluenette couldn't help it Vegeta was absolutely adorable in this unguarded moment, and the fact that he seemed so concerned about her well being was touching. In truth, he'd been a bit rough towards the end, but she'd had an amazing time romping in the sheets with the prince. So she rolled over to face him and placed her hand on his scarred chest, just over his heart. Looking into his obsidian pools Bulma shook her head and smiled softly at him.

Letting her eyes fall to where her hand was over his heart Bulma splayed her fingers and caressed the hard muscles. She traced the outline of a deep and wide scar under her fingers and directly over his heart. Following it into the next scar Bulma continued to trail her fingers along following each new scar as she came them. The scientist in her was curious about the origin of all these scars and wondered how bad the original injuries had to be for them to leave lasting marks. The woman in her was in awe of his strength to overcome such things. She marveled at all that was the perfect specimen in front of her.

Vegeta watched her as her emotions played across her face. Briefly, he pondered the weakness of earthlings to allow every thought and emotion to show so blatantly on their features. Then again he knew this earthling had nothing to fear from him and never would. At first, she seemed fascinated and mesmerized by the marks that marred his form, he found that amusing and it made him want to preen with pride in his prowess. Then her features turned into a frown and he wondered if she was growing disgusted by all his scars. Lost in his insecurities he didn't see the awe and admiration soften her gaze and twitch at the corner of her mouth.

"If they disgust you don't touch them," Vegeta said rolling onto his back to look at the ceiling and wondered if he should leave.

"Huh?" Bulma propped herself up on an elbow to look Vegeta in the face, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. "Why would I be disgusted?" she asked like the word tasted bad in her mouth.

Finally, Vegeta met her gaze, his scowl burned into her. Did she think she could lie to him? He'd seen that look before on his face when he'd look at the puckered flesh that reminded him of all he'd endured. Eyes like the sky shone back at him with determination and he scoffed at her.

"Vegeta," she cupped his cheek with her free hand, "nothing about you is disgusting. I know you don't scar easily - being a Saiyan and all - I was wondering how bad this," she trailed her fingers down to caress the worst of his scars again, "and the rest of them really, had to have been to leave lasting marks like this?" Leaning over the prince, she placed a chaste kiss on the edge of another, particularly vicious-looking scar. "I think you're amazing and incredibly sexy," Bulma purred seductively gently running her nose over his collarbone, her lips brushing against his skin, "scars and all."

Vegeta watched her carefully looking for any sign she was lying to him. As she spoke and touched him, he found himself in awe of her admiration for his body. Her passionate words and actions caused stirrings in his loins. Vegeta captured her wrist in his hand and moved into her, pinning Bulma to the mattress. He smirked at her surprise and captured her lips in a kiss that spoke to how much he appreciated her acceptance. He would never admit it with words but had no qualms about showing her with his actions and his body, so The Prince of Saiyans did just that well into the night.

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Notes: See he did better on the second go. True to his character he failed at first but came back stronger and more determined than ever.

The words he uttered are Saiyan, I've tried to create a bit of the language so Vegeta can still tell her how he feels without her being able to understand him. It is another way for him to guard his heart because he is afraid of his own vulnerability.

It is a couple of chapters late but thank you for the reviews.

Becky: I am pleased you are enjoying it so far, Vegeta wouldn't be able to stand the smell of another man on her if he were bedding her. Also, he had to get back at Yamcha for the insult about him being _little._ The prince of Saiyans wouldn't be as vulgar in his retaliation so it was implied instead of said outright.

RoyalBlueRoses: THANK YOU THANK YOU! I am glad you figured out what I'm doing here, it is unfair to Vegeta that so many write him as nothing more than a giant ego walking around. The guy broke down into tears when he was dying, and several more times throughout the manga and anime, he really isn't as narcissistic as others like to make him out to be. Vegeta is my favorite character and I think he deserves to be allowed to be a man with feelings. Bulma is such a force I wanted to tell the story in a way that gave her more depth. While she was over Yamcha quickly, she doesn't need to jump into an unrequited emotional commitment with Vegeta.


	9. Chapter 9

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

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AN: Vegeta's behavior towards Bulma is based on monkey behavioral habits most of his OOC(out of character) nonverbal mannerisms are typical male monkey displays that denote affection and a desire to mate. It is hard to characterize a couple whom the majority of their interactions happened off-screen, which is why I stand by my idea that Vegeta is a totally different person when no one but Bulma is around. I don't see Bulma putting up with him if he wasn't. If he didn't have an affectionate and romantic side Bulma never would've married Vegeta.

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Bulma woke slowly, there was a warm spicy scent with hints of evergreen forests surrounding her. She inhaled deeply, it was coming from the warmth that was beneath her. She curled her fingers trying to place where she knew the scent, it was pepper and frankincense. A grunt rumbled under her ear and her eyes opened to see a hard masculine chest covered in scars of varying shapes and sizes. Pulling her leg up she found it was between a pair of firm thighs and her knee connected with the fine hairs and soft tissue at the apex between them, another grunt came from the chest she was draped over.

"Are you finally awake?" Vegeta's voice was deep and husky yet quite in her room.

Bulma looked up to his face, his eyebrow was quirked and there was a small smile on his lips. He almost looked amused. She was draped over the top of his body with one leg between his. She squeaked in surprise and pulled away from his incredibly warm skin. Wincing at the aching stiffness in the muscles of her body as memories from the night before came tumbling through her mind.

Vegeta wasn't sure why she had pulled away from him so abruptly. He had woken up to her draped over him and his arms wrapped securely around her, he didn't dare to move her and wake her before she was ready. So he had stayed and enjoyed the feel of having her safely in his embrace. He needed to piss but instead, he dozed until she curled her fingers tickling his chest with the gentle move. Then he saw her wince when she pulled away and wondered if he'd been too rough with her. She was a delicate creature and he found it difficult to control himself around her.

Now free from her embrace he got up quickly, uncomfortable with the idea of having hurt her. He retreated to the bathroom where he relieved his bladder and tried to think of a way to soothe her discomfort. Washing his hands he looked at himself in the mirror. He looked relaxed, calm and peaceful even, it was strange and so he scowled at his reflection. Then he noticed the shower behind him and turned it on before returning to the room where he'd left the beautiful scientist.

Bulma was laid on her back when Vegeta closed the bathroom door. Her mind reeling at the fact that the cold prince was in her bathroom, he walked there completely naked. How was the dynamic going to change? Was it going to? He seemed his normal self so far, kinda. After last night her idea of "normal" Vegeta was shattered. When the water for the shower started she threw an arm over her eyes and groaned. She wanted to get up and take a shower but she was so sore she thought her legs might fall off.

That was how Vegeta found her laying with her eyes covered, a pretty pout on her lips, and the blanket around her waist leaving her perfect breasts exposed to his hungry eyes. A fleeting thought crossed his mind about how defenseless she was, but he would never harm her intentionally he already knew that. Instead, he went to her on silent feet and leaning over her, he licked her, from just above her belly button to her collar bone. She jumped and pulled her arm away from her eyes. Her surprise deepened when he scooped her naked form out of bed. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, he had that same cocky smirk from last night at dinner and chuckled at her surprise. She frowned at him and he gave her a quick chaste kiss while he carried his naked woman to the bathroom. Without setting her down he stepped into the shower and held her under the spray for a moment. She smiled up at him in gratitude and allowed him to set her on her feet.

"Thank you," she said, still unsure of how to act around him. He was being attentive and affectionate but still with the straightforwardness of his blunt personality.

"You were in pain," Vegeta leaned down pressing his face to her shoulder and inhaled the intoxicating combination of their combined scents.

Now she wasn't sure if she was dreaming it was so strange to hear him express concern and care for another being. Pinching herself again Vegeta captured her hand and nipped the base of her thumb.

"So you inflict more pain upon yourself?" He bit out, disapproving of her action.

Cupping his face with the hand he still held close to his mouth Bulma explained, "I thought I might be dreaming, I wanted to make sure this was real."

Vegeta felt the blush rise in his face and was glad for the stream and heat of the shower. He wasn't sure how to take that. Did she mean it was completely unbelievable that he would treat her well, or was this some kind of fantasy?

Dismissing the first for the later Vegeta let a low growl fill his chest and stepped into her pulling Bulma against him with a hand on her lower back. He kissed her tenderly and brought his other hand down and used his fingers to massage her sacrum. it was something his instincts were insistent upon, something about female organs cramping after sex. Her moan of pleasure was intoxicating and he found he was enjoying letting his instincts lead him in regards to Bulma, it was invigorating. For the first time in his life, he was actually enjoying himself - for the first time he was finding a new outlook on life, where he could express himself physically without being violent - and it made him feel stronger and more powerful in the most masculine way he'd ever experienced. perhaps these instincts were right, his ego could take a back seat when he was with Bulma.

Said blue-haired beauty was in heaven, the tender kiss was so gentle and caring it made her want to cry. The vibration coming from him was low and relaxing. If this is how Vegeta treated his sexual partners, she never wanted another man. That thought made the bluenette nervous for a moment - she had just gotten out of a relationship that had taken up the majority of her adult life, was she ready to give in to another? Then his fingers started massaging her lower back and she pushed all thoughts out of her mind and enjoyed the moment.

After the turmoil of her love life from the last decade, she selfishly wanted to take everything Vegeta was giving her. Parting just enough from each other to catch their breath Bulma became aware of the hard length pressing into her lower abdomen. He smirked at her as the realization of his erection showed on her face he increased his growl playfully and she smiled encouragingly at him. Trailing her hand down his chest and ads her palm pressed against the tip and his growl stuttered. Then a loud knock sounded on her bedroom door followed by Dr. Briefs' voice coming from the hall, and she realized the bathroom door was still open.

They both froze and Bulma pulled away to poke her head out of the shower to hear her father's words. Vegeta let out a small whine with the loss of contact he swallowed it not wanting to embarrass himself. He finished washing while the woman yelled in response to her sire's reason for interrupting.

"Bulma, breakfast is ready! Come down and eat with us, we'll be leaving soon," the professor called through the closed door.

"Okay, Dad!" Bulma was frantic. She didn't want her dad to come in and see Vegeta's clothes all over her floor. She wanted to keep this secret for now - it made her feel like she was 17 again, it was exciting, "I'll be down in a couple minutes!"

"Your mother couldn't find Vegeta this morning, she wanted to tell him something. Would you be a dear and find him for her?" Dr. Briefs added.

Bulma was caught by surprise when the aforementioned Saiyan reached out and squeezed her ass, glaring over her shoulder at him for a second she let her dad know she would call him back.

"Of course Daddy, I'll call him on the transmitter I installed in his armor!" Bulma shouted the blush taking over her whole face from Vegeta's sensual and teasing action. She could definitely get used to this.

"Thank you, sweetie," with that the professor went back downstairs.

Vegeta stepped out of the shower and used his ki to dry off and took one of the pink towels from Bulma's bathroom. Wrapping it around his waist he headed for her bedroom but was stopped by a wet hand on his bicep. Bulma wanted to say something to him about how wonderful last night had been and thank him for his attentiveness this morning, but couldn't bring the words out of her throat. Vegeta caught the gratitude in her expressive blue eyes before her uncertainty couped them. Glad she didn't voice whatever comment she had been thinking he simply took her chin in his hand and kissed her one last time before leaving the room. He didn't need her words, nor did he want to spout them himself. Their actions spoke loud and clear on their own, words would only cheapen this and make him uncomfortable. Gathering his discarded garments he silently left her room and went to his own to dress.

Bulma smiled after Vegeta as she watched him walk away in her pink towel. Gods he was sexy. She finished cleaning herself up and noticed her discomfort was significantly less than it had been when she had first moved after waking. Vegeta had massaged her in just the right places to release the tension around her uterus which was causing her cramps. Getting out of the shower she dried off and looked herself over in the mirror.

There were four small bruises one the front of both her hip bones and two in the back a few centimeters out from her dimples of Venus. After the wild rough encounter from last night she had expected more bruising, Vegeta could've crushed her with hardly any effort but this was all the external evidence he'd left. She hugged herself and did a little happy dance as she stood there naked in her bathroom. Never had she felt more empowered from sex - Vegeta had played her vulnerabilities like a harp and not once letting her feel embarrassed by them - and the way he had read her body and reactions it gave her a whole new sense of what it was to be a woman. Bulma felt so sexy, so desired, and respected all at once. Never would she accept less from any guy that came into her life. While if Vegeta continued to show her this other side of him she could see herself considering something _more_ with the prince but at the same time this was just a fling, she didn't want anything more, not now, not yet. Sex with Vegeta was therapeutic he barely spoke instead preferring to show her how amazing she was with his actions, worshiping her body for hours and caring for her wellbeing throughout the night into the shower. After all, Yamcha hadn't had sex with her in months and never had he been concerned he'd been too rough or cared about her cramps in the morning. Bulma admitted to herself she kind of resented the Zfighter for how he had treated her, and the abuse he'd inflicted on her emotionally.

After breakfast, Bulma's parents bid her farewell and left in their aircar. Vegeta hadn't returned inside after her mother had taken him outside for a little chat about her roses. The bluenette assumed he was to water them twice while they were gone, and giggled at the idea of her mother bestowing chores onto the prince.

Cleaning up after the family meal Bulma went into the basement lab and found the new, updated control panel for the gravity room and her father's notes. Then she ventured outside, prepared to interrupt the Saiyan's training.

Breakfast had been normal from what she could tell. Vegeta had been silent which was typical for him. He hadn't been overly obvious about watching her like the night before, but she had still caught him looking at her with and that cocky smirk that was beginning to make her knees weak. Now she was only hoping he wouldn't revert back to his old ways and insult her for interrupting him.

As she closed in on the gravity chamber she noticed the door was open. Coming around the frame it supposed her to find the room empty. Wondering where he had gotten off to Bulma set up her tools and shined over the notes in her hand. Then she set about removing the old controls and installing the new ones. She had taken the morning off of work to complete the updates after the new panel was installed she had to run a complete recalibration if the life support systems. She was secretly glad Vegeta hadn't been around to watch her, it could've proved distracting and then he might have soured towards her for keeping him from his training. She wanted to act like nothing has changed and let Vegeta know she wasn't going to be a hindrance to his goals through her actions. After all, they did speak volumes more than words.

Little did she know from the roof of her home, Vegeta was watching her work.

* * *

Notes: This is the first time we'll get to see the playful side of Vegeta. It's rare for him right now, but monkeys are rather playful creatures.


	10. Chapter 10

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

* * *

AN: Mrs Panchy Briefs is quite an intriguing character. She often proves herself to be rather insightful but covers it up with idiotic behavior. She tends to keep characters in their toes but allows them to underestimate her by behaving like a massive ditz. I see you woman, I know these tactics, you beautiful hidden genius.

* * *

Sitting on the roof Vegeta watched the woman working on the updated gravity controls, and thought back to the strange conversation he'd had with the blonde woman earlier. After she had explained to him that she would need him to water her "precious" flowers tomorrow and then again in three more days if it didn't rain. Something he was hard-pressed to agree to until she offered him her secret recipe book. To which he inquired why he would be needing it, wouldn't Bulma be cooking?

"Oh no, trust me you don't want her in the kitchen if you plan to survive while we're gone sweetie," Panchy placed her hand on his shoulder and he stiffened looking at her warily. She just smiled at him and continued, knowing he wouldn't voice his questions, "Bulma is an awful cook, she might accidentally poison you both if you leave it to her to make your meals. I've gotten plenty of groceries and you can just follow the recipes, it's really very simple."

"Then why can't the woman do it?" Vegeta argued not at all pleased with being assigned chores, he already had to water roses, now he was expected to prepare meals?

"You know, I'm not sure. I've tried teaching her but she always seems to mess it up. One time she tried to bake a cake but she mixed up the salt and the sugar it was awful! I'm not sure what spices she put in it either but it took two days to get the taste out of my mouth." Panchy had linked her arm in Vegeta's and was leading him around her flower garden.

He groaned at the thought of eating Bulma's cooking. Panchy was many things, a massive ditz being one of them, but she certainly held her daughter's talents in high regard. If she was telling him Bulma was a terrible cook he knew she had to be correct. It looked as if Vegeta would have to cook all the meals while Mr. and Mrs. Briefs were away.

"So I will be expected to cook for her?" He didn't have as big of a problem with it as he was making it sound.

"Well of course, why else would I offer you the use of my secret book?" She beamed up at him and rested her head on his shoulder. Vegeta growled at her but she paid him no mind. Instead, she said something that froze him in his tracks. "You know, Bulma had always said she wanted a man that could cook. I bet if you showed her how good of a cook you are she'd fall head over heels for you."

"What makes you think I can cook, or that I even want to impress your offspring?" Vegeta said dryly.

Panchy swatted at his arm playfully, "Of course you can cook. How else would you have survived on your own all those years." Stepping away from the irritable Saiyan, Panchy called over her shoulder, "and don't be silly, I've seen the way you look at her. I also know you didn't sleep in your own bed last night." With that, she winked at him and returned to the house.

Vegeta was left standing in the flower garden completely embarrassed that his attraction had been noticed by Bulma's mother. What had the blonde woman meant by her last statement? She couldn't have possibly known he had been in Bulma's bed. He made sure the two older humans were asleep before he went to the bluenette's bed. He didn't think he'd slept deeply enough to miss anyone coming up the stairs or intruding into the room where they slept. He had been awake when the blonde woman had left her quarters and began making preparations for the morning meal. He had laid there awake with Bulma draped over him as Panchy came up the stairs to knock on his door. She never opened it, just assumed he was already up and went outside to find him. How could she possibly know anything of his whereabouts last night?

Frowning in irritation Vegeta stormed around the house and watched as Bulma saw her parents off. He couldn't keep his fowl mood in place watching her. She held herself with the same confidence she had back on Namek and when he'd first come to stay with her. He couldn't help but feel pride knowing he had played a part in helping her along the path to restoring that confidence. Then his mood fell again remembering the conversation from last night, the weakling had shown up at her work and pestered her to take him back. Vegeta had a feeling that wouldn't be the last time the pathetic Zfighter tried to win her back. Suddenly he felt thankful to the blonde woman, she had given him a way to keep the woman's affections. Deciding to keep his distance for the day he jumped up to the top of the house and sat down to meditate.

So here he was sitting on the top of capsule Corp watching Bulma work. She cursed her father for his sloppy handwriting and Vegeta chuckled. She dropped her multi-tool and groaned in frustration and Vegeta found amusement in that too. When she was finally finished with the control panel she began the reconfiguration and left the gravity chamber and ventured inside. Vegeta came down and checked on the systems. It would take the next six hours to complete the updates. Vegeta was annoyed at the time frame but figured he could get other things done, like preparing food for the two of them that would last the next couple of days. He waited until Bulma left for work before he entered the house and began rummaging through the kitchen.

Just as Panchy had said she left her book of recipes out on the counter for him. She clearly assumed he would do as she asked. He growled in annoyance at the audacity of the blonde woman. She had left him with tasks and chores, he was a prince, such things were beneath him. Then again, he was a prince of nothing just like his instincts had told him. This family he lived with had given him much and it was only honorable to do what they asked, it wasn't like they asked a lot of him. The prince had begun to find that Mrs. Briefs was as much an enigma as her daughter. That woman pretended to be stupid and was oblivious to the world and what happened around her, yet she was so intuitive about other's thoughts and feelings, she rivaled a Saiyan. He mused that if she had trained from a young age she very easily could've been a great fighter. After all, being able to read an opponent's intentions was a highly valuable skill. Shaking himself Vegeta tried to push his thoughts aside, he was hungry again and needed to prepare meals so he and the bluenette didn't starve.

Thinking of Bulma, he began to muse over all the things he would like to do to her, and that they would be alone in the big house together for the next five days. They would have plenty of time to get to know each other more intimately, and Vegeta smiled wickedly at that thought.

Bulma was a little distracted at work, her mind kept wandering back to the night she spent with Vegeta. It still baffled her that it had even happened, or that she'd thought Vegeta might have been a virgin. His nerves must have stemmed from the fact that he was out of practice. If he hadn't been with anyone while in space searching for Goku, it must have been over three years since he'd had a woman. How wouldn't be a little nervous after such a dry spell? He had probably just been clumsy at first because she was built differently than the other aliens he'd been with, or something to that extent. That thought made her curious about the reproduction of other alien races. So she spent most of her time thinking about it and fell behind on her work.

It was already dark by the time she left the lab. Her stomach growled angrily at her, she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Bulma thought about stopping to get take out - she wasn't going to cook with her mom away - then she realized Vegeta probably hadn't eaten yet either. She called the house but no one answered. She tried to contact the intercom in the gravity room, but still no answer. Frustrated that she now has to go home, find the Saiyan, then order food she marched to the helipad. Uncapsulating her chopper, the bluenette flew home to find out what Vegeta wanted in the way of food.

As she approached she could see that most of the lights were off in the house. Even the gravity chamber was dark. Touching down in the landing bay she entered the dark house and noticed the light in the kitchen was on, it filtered through the hall into the entry. She inwardly groaned, Vegeta was probably going to be in a foul mood and demand she makes him food immediately.

Vegeta had been meditating in the darkness of the gravity chamber when Bulma tried to call. He ignored it, not sure of what to say. He had already eaten, having grown ravenous while waiting for her, and had cooked food for the next two or three days, not including breakfasts. He hadn't used her mother's recipes exactly, but he had been satisfied with his own modifications. He wasn't a patient man so he thought occupying his time with training was the best way to wait for her to return. Besides, he had missed out on an entire day of training, but on the upside, his gravity chamber was working better and could achieve greater levels. Vegeta only hoped he too could finally attain his ascension into super Saiyan.

He heard her open the bay doors and land, having felt her ki from a ways away. His heart started beating faster and he concentrated on controlling it. Just because he had decided to let his instincts guide him in regards to the woman didn't mean it could interfere with his training. When that didn't work he got up and turned on the lights, cranked the gravity up to four hundred times that of Earth and began to run through his warm-ups. If his body wanted to react to something he would push it to its limit.

Bulma crept down the hall to the kitchen, she could hear dishes being clanked around. She pressed herself to the wall dreading turning the corner to see the Prince's angry mug. Then it sounded like a cabinet door opened and dishes were placed inside before it was closed again. Curiosity overriding her better judgment she stepped around the corner.

In the kitchen was a bot cleaning and putting away dishes. Studying the number of dishes in the drying rack and stacked in the sink, Bulma was a little confused as to how all of these had gotten dirty. Her mother had taken care of the breakfast dishes before leaving that morning, and she didn't think there were that many frozen meals. Staring at the stack of pots waiting to be cleaned she was confused further for a moment, frozen meals didn't require pots and pans. Someone had been cooking!? But who, she couldn't see Vegeta making meals. Did he even know how to cook?

Venturing deeper into the kitchen she gasped at the sight she found on the table near the sliding doors that opened onto the patio. There, spread out on the table were several different dishes. A large roast that looked like half of it was missing was in the center, around it were different side dishes, salads, casseroles, steamed veggies, and pasta. As well as a few things she didn't recognize, a pot of some kind of stew drew her eye. It was green and had some root Vegetables floating in it with what she assumed was some type of meat. Smelling it she realized there was seaweed in it, as well as fish but it was unlike any stew her mom had ever made. It was different but still smelled good. She reached for the bowl at the only place setting and took up the ladle. She wanted to try it but stopped before pouring the soup into the bowl.

How had all this food gotten here? Who had cooked it? The only other person around was Vegeta. Well, he didn't seem to be around, in fact, this all was starting to feel rather suspicious and she dropped the ladle back into the put and set down her bowl. The bot made her jump, only now noticing she was there.

"Miss Briefs," said the mechanical voice, "welcome home, dinner is served."

"Where's Vegeta?" She asked the bot.

"In the gravity chamber, gravity is set to 300 gs," it answered before returning to cleaning dishes.

"And who served dinner?" Bulma asked.

"Mr. Vegeta," was it's only answer.

Stunned she just stood there and watched as the bot started on the stack of pots. After a moment she turned back to the spread laid out on the table.

"Huh, you don't say," she said under her breath.

Her stomach took the opportunity to make its state of emptiness known. So she picked the bowl back up and filled it with the stew. As she ladled it into her bowl she spotted two kinds of fish and either octopus or squid. She sat and ate her fill sampling as many of the different dishes as she could. The stew had been delicious, it didn't taste like seawater like she had assumed it might. It was a little spicy and the fish had been candy smoked giving it a sweet and savory taste. It was like a jambalaya with an Irish, Thia twist to it, the whole thing was very umami and very good. The roast, some kind of meat she hadn't had before, was perfectly cooked. It had little seasoning but was smoked giving out a lovely aroma.

Steering clear of dishes that she recognized, instead of sampling the interesting things Vegeta had made. Drinking down the last of the broth in her bowl Bulma sighed in satisfaction. She hadn't realized how hungry she was but this meal had hit the spot, on top of it being a delight for her senses.

"Hmm, enjoying yourself?"


	11. Chapter 11

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

* * *

AN: Yes, I have crafted a bit of the Saiyan language. No, I won't tell you what all of it means in this story. Also, the way Vegeta interacts with Bulma is based on the actual behavioral habits of monkeys. While it is true that many of the great apes and old-world monkeys are rough and violent with the fairer sex, that isn't true for most monkeys. 85% of mating attempts in three different species studied separately fail because the female rejects the male. Dominant females in most species of monkeys decide who is and isn't allowed in a troop, who gets to mate, and who the dominant male is. Dominant males are subject to the ruling female. Over 90% of violence within monkey troops happens between males only. The remaining violence is mostly the dominant female putting other females in their place. There is virtually no sexual violence and next to 0 violence between sexes. Before anyone freaks out, this is all about the troop mentality. Vegeta is finding his troop he needs this, he needs others even though it will take him another two decades to come to terms with his place in the troop this is the start of him accepting he is just a monkey and he needs emotional comfort and non-violent physical contact.

Well, shit happens. I severely sprained my ankle and can't work for the next ten days. On a positive note I will most likely be able to get the rest of this story written and posted for you all to enjoy.

* * *

"Hmm, enjoying yourself?" Vegeta's deep voice made her jump. He was leaning against the edge of the counter, in nothing but a pair of spandex shorts, with a towel over his shoulders. Cocky smirk firmly in place with one eyebrow raised, regarding her as she sat at the table.

"Gaahh," she jumped turning to look at the Saiyan that had appeared silently in the kitchen, "What the hell Vegeta!? You scared me half to death! Why are you sneaking around like that, you creep!"

"Heh, if you pathetic earthlings would learn to at least track energy signatures you would've felt me coming." He wasn't offended by her creep comment, he admired her feistiness. He was also pleased to see she liked the food he'd made. He had been standing there for the past two minutes watching her, he wanted to gauge her responses to the dishes he'd improvised. The prince was pleased to see she had indeed enjoyed the most of it, especially the pot of stew.

It was a traditional Saiyan dish, he wasn't sure if he'd gotten it right. The flora and fauna of Earth were different but he'd tasted everything before adding them into the pot. His memories of it were vague at best. However, Nappa had never been able to shut up about it in the years after Vegeta-sai had been destroyed. They had tried to replicate it several times. Vegeta always had to do the cooking, because Nappa either burned it or added things to the pot without tasting them, making it inedible. Instead, Vegeta would have Nappa would taste test as they made it, offering his opinions on the flavors. So now Vegeta had a better idea of how it was made and what the end result should taste like. It pleased him the woman had enjoyed it.

"Did you really make all of this?" Bulma asked embarrassed she had been startled and then called him a creep after stuffing herself with food he had prepared.

Pushing off the counter with his hip, Vegeta stalked over to the table, tossing his towel on the counter. Slowly he leaned down to take a bite-sized piece of the roast. Popping it into his mouth he looked Bulma up and down.

"Did you enjoy it?" Vegeta asked, his voice husky and deep. He smiled as the shiver raced her spine and the smell of her arousal came on hard.

That devil! He was trying to seduce her, and darn it is it wasn't working. The shiver came unbidden with the sound of his deep voice, and his bare chest on display for her viewing pleasure. The dual implications of his question brought heart to her chest and caused her womb to clench with desire for this man that seemed to be made of surprises.

"I did," she purred back at him.

"Bot 4, put this food away and finish cleaning in here," Vegeta ordered the bot without breaking eye contact with Bulma.

The prince proceeded to pluck her from her seat, lifting her up against him he pressed his lips to hers. She gasped in surprise when he lifted her out of her seat as his lips met hers in a searing kiss. One hand on her back and another on her thigh, he encouraged her to wrap her legs around his waist.

He carried her from the room, stopping at a hall table near the bottom of the stairs. Where he set Bulma on her ass and kissed down her neck. Ripping open her blouse several buttons went flying, then he snuck his hands under her skirt - that was hiked up to her hips - felt for the hem of her satin panties and pulled them down her legs. He kissed her mounds where they stuck out of her satin and lace bra, trailing his tongue up the center to her throat where he nipped and sucked at her flesh.

With her sitting on the table Vegeta went down on her for a moment tasting and teasing her. Standing he took her there in the hall in rough passionate rutting that satisfied them both and appeased the monster inside him.

They spent the next three days having sex in every room of the house, except for her parents' bedroom. It happened twice in the gravity room, once on the roof of the house and in the garden on the third day when Bulma found Vegeta watering her mother's roses. They spent every night in Bulma's bed - it was almost twice the size of Vegeta's and fit the two better - wrapped up in each other. Bulma spent her days working, Vegeta spent his day's training.

That is until Saturday afternoon rolled around.

Vegeta was training as normal after his mid-day snack when he felt the familiar ki signature of the weakling, Yamcha, approaching the front door. The prince of Saiyans struggled not to go to the front door and beat the earthling within an inch of his life. How dare this pathetic excuse of a male come to the woman's home. She had already dismissed him twice, did this weakling have an addiction to being humiliated? Remembering the conversation he'd had the other night with Bulma as they lay in her bed.

* * *

After fucking in the hall downstairs, on the stairs, in the shower, and again in the woman's bed, Vegeta laid on his back one arm up behind his head. The other was wrapped around the woman with his fingers tracing circles on her hip. Enjoying the peace he felt in his soul for the first time in his life, but the growing curiosity of the creature draped in his arms was slowly building tension in the room.

Bulma was tracing the scars on Vegeta's skin and contours of his muscles. Her chin resting in her other hand over his chest, her body pressed against his side with one leg tucked between his. She was struggling with how to ask about his past experiences. The curiosity of other alien races and what they were like - both in bed and out - had been driving her crazy all day, she wanted to know everything she could find out. All her questions burning her tongue she could feel him tensing underneath her in anticipation of the questions that were making her anxious.

"Mmm," he growled encouraging her to get on with it already.

Gasping when he growled a small and annoyed sound, Bulma mustered up her courage and asked the questions she wanted the answers to.

"Can you tell me about other races?" Bulma asked shyly, "The others out there in the universe?"

"Hmm," Vegeta was relieved, he had thought the question would be more personal than that. "Well, there are many forms they can take. Like what you witnessed on Namek, there are similar kinds to most animals on Earth. They come in everything from tiny harmless ones to giant types and humanoids with culture and technology. Kinds like myself that are capable of transforming drastically or very little. There are races of insects the size of the giant lizards that road the wilderness here. Planets made entirely of oceans that consist of compressed gases where giant squid love in pods similar to the dolphins here. Many planets have your basic Siriuon humanoids like this one. Most are much stronger but they lie in the inner rims of their galaxies," Vegeta nearly rambled in his relaxed state. He found he actually enjoyed sharing his knowledge of the universe with her. He smiled remembering what she'd said to the weakling called Yamcha last Friday night. Vegeta's knowledge had helped her advance her own positions and she admired him, she'd called him generous. He liked that Bulma found him to be so.

"Oh, huh…" Bulma said hesitantly. While it was rivetting information, it wasn't really what she'd been looking for. "Well, I kinda more so meant about other species sexually?"

After a moment of pause - Vegeta trying not to scream at her, slightly offended she thought he had fucked his way across the Galaxy or something - Bulma attempted to exaggerate and clarify her meaning.

"I mean-"

"You mean what exactly you vulgar woman!?" Vegeta tried not to clutch at her too tightly - he didn't want to harm her, never her - so he bit his tongue, this was an explanation he wanted. No, it was one he needed.

"Well," Bulma was confused and a little worried, she hadn't meant to offend him. "You can't honestly expect me to believe I was your first. It's just-"

"Oh? Do tell, How was our first joining?" Vegeta pulled back from her and looked at her hard, trying to desperately hide his embarrassment over his pitiful first performance the previous night.

Bulma could read the embarrassment in his eyes, the hurt over her assumption. All of it was buried under the cold exterior he liked to put on for the world. Bulma however, had practice reading his eyes and physical reactions between the harsh words and cold shoulders over the past two years he'd lived with her.

"I'm sorry, I had assumed you had a lot of experience. While our first time having sex left a lot to be desired, your tongue was very talented and you more than made up for the first with the second and then the third last night. I had thought you were just a little rusty and overeager. It's not like I've seen you with any women over the last two years. Its nothing to be ashamed of, I'd be eager if I waited that long too, ya know. And besides, you are a universally feared planet conquerer. You mean to tell me you never had a woman or two before destroying the dominant life form on other planets?"

"Rrrr," it was a shit explanation Vegeta knew that, but she did have a point. He had lived in a fortress of sin and debauchery for over half his life, but he had never been permitted to partake. The one time he'd interacted with a female had ended terribly and it led to him becoming a used limp of flesh and eventually resulted in him being forced onto the front lines of Frieza's army. Wanting to think of anything but Frieza, Vegeta tried to explain his feeling on the subject, "We Saiyan hold undying loyalty to our mates, unlike you earthlings. No wonder you're such a weak and pathetic race, you don't even hold your chosen partners in high regard."

"Not all men on Earth are like Yamcha you know?" Bulma was feeling a little defensive, she knew she'd wasted some of the best years of her life on the former Zfighter, "My dad isn't, Goku, T-"

"Kakarott is not of Earth," Vegeta interrupted, "which explains why he hasn't left that awful harpy of a woman he calls a wife. The woman holds back her own son from his training, the boy is a Saiyan after all."

"Yeah well," she began but trailed off as more of his words fell into place in her mind. He never said if she was his first. He only talked about how Saiyans had "undying loyalty" to their mates. Did that mean he saw her as his monogamous partner? Mate, he'd said mate, that sounded very animalistic. Bulma wasn't sure how she felt about that, she hadn't even been out of a relationship for a week. Was she ready for another, and with Vegeta?

"Well, what?" Vegeta asked. Growing more and more uncomfortable by the second. He sat up swinging his legs over the edge of her bed and asked his own question, "Did you also assume I raped and murdered my way across the Galaxy?"

Pushing her thoughts aside she regarded the man with his back to her. His back, it was covered in scars from his life before she'd known him. She desperately wanted to reach out and touch him. To press herself into that strong back and coax him back to her side. Deciding if she didn't act now he could leave and this would never get fixed she rose, letting the sheets fall away. Kneeling behind him she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"I wasn't sure, I made assumptions based on my own experiences with men," Bulma wrapped her arms around him and didn't let his growl scare her off. "The majority of which are from here on Earth and our history." Bulma kissed his shoulder and he stiffened, "I'm sorry Vegeta, I didn't mean to offend you." Then she kissed his neck and whispered in his ear, "Please, Vegeta. Won't you forgive me."

"Only Radditz did that. I would never, I could never..." Vegeta didn't finish his sentence, not wanting to explain how he felt about that act. He needed to move so he stood from the bed and walked over to the window to gaze out at the moon. He wanted to take away all that had come before him in regards to this female. The idea that she'd ever had to experience the worst of men made his gut turn and his rage build.

"I know, I'm sorry. I don't know why I still thought that way. After experiencing the way you touched me, there never should've been a doubt in my mind that you'd do something so terrible. Please come back to bed." She felt like such a fool, Vegeta had been there for her when she'd fallen apart over what had happened with Yamcha. How could she ever think he would inflict that kind of pain on another, not when he'd seemed to understand it so well. She realized he really did understand it with the way this conversation had turned.

Vegeta turned to look at her and was struck by her beauty. Her soft curves displayed nicely with her position. She sat on her calves, completely naked beckoning him back to the warmth of her bed. Dragging his gaze up her body he stopped when he met her perfect blue eyes. They stayed there for a minute and he watched as she relived the other night in her mind. He returned slowly as she looked at him with the same empathy and understanding he'd given her. Leaning down he pressed his forehead to hers.

"I would never," he said again with more heat and less hurt.

"I know Vegeta," Bulma tipped her face up and pressed a tender kiss to his lips, savoring the contact. "Thank you."

"Let me end him, for you, for your honor. Let me squash the life from him," Vegeta ended with a growl.

"No," Bulma blurted out. "You can't kill Yam-" she was silenced by his fingers pressed to her lips.

"Don't speak his name." He looked down at her lips. "That weakling isn't worthy of having his name cross these lips." Vegeta traced a finger over her lower lip as he slowly razed his eyes to hers with hooded lids

Oh boy, if she didn't know any better, Bulma would've guessed her heart had fallen into his hands that very second. His passionate words of admiration were something she hadn't expected and didn't know she'd wanted to hear. He was undeniably the sexiest man alive when no one was around but her. She felt so special to be the only being on Earth to see this side of the warrior prince.

"Don't kill him please, he knows he messed up - or will soon - and is already regretting it. To live with this regret is his punishment." Bulma said firmly

"Mmm, tu-ak Nevate," he growled seductively. She was a wicked woman, a perfect queen, so he called Bulma his queen in his native tongue. Her devious sense of retribution through life-long-suffering made him purr with desire.

"Huh?" Bulma's big blue eyes widened in confusion not understanding his words, it was now the second time he'd spoken in another language. Each time the words were so heartfelt it made her swoon. The effect of them was stimulating to say the least and she felt moisture polling in her core again.

"Forget it," he said, capturing her lips with his own as her renewed arousal hit his senses.

Pushing her back onto the bed Vegeta laid himself between her thighs, he just couldn't get enough of this blue-eyed goddess.

* * *

So Vegeta kept to the gravity chamber and didn't confront the pathetic earthling outside. After several minutes Vegeta lost control and shook the room with his full power. He felt Yamcha pull his own in and retreat. With Yamcha finally gone, Vegeta released a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding with his effort not to viciously murder the other man. Why couldn't the fool just leave the woman alone, he'd done enough damage already and he should just leave her to heal.

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Notes: Thank you to the two new followers for their support.

Don't forget to review, the support drives me to write more for you all!


	12. Chapter 12

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

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Yamcha had a few of Bulma's things, and he knew he had left some of his own belongings at Capsule Corp. If Bulma was really finished he wanted his comics back and he left a baseball mitt there. The Zfighter was certain he still had clothes in her room too. Yamcha was going to call her bluff when he came to get his stuff she would see that she still loved him and would forgive him.

He parked his aircar on the side of the road and adjusted his tie and fixed his hair one last time in the rearview mirror. Clearing his throat he gripped the handle, he was a little nervous, he could feel Vegeta in the gravity chamber around back. He did not want to see the Saiyan, but he wanted to strut in front of Bulma and make her regret her decision to break up with him.

Strengthening his resolve he opened the door and walked up to the front door of the Briefs home. He knocked but no one answered. He rang the doorbell several times, still no answer. Looking in the front windows he didn't see anyone inside. Ringing the doorbell a few more times he waited for nearly ten minutes before he felt Vegeta's power level spike menacingly. Terrified the Saiyan might come and investigate why he was there, Yamcha ran back to his car and took off. He would go back into the city and see if Becky wanted to catch a matinee, then he'd come back. Maybe Bulma and or her parents would be home by then.

Bulma hurried through her work, it was Saturday and she wanted to spend a nice portion of her afternoon sunbathing in the backyard. Summer was around the corner and she wanted to make the most of the sun now, so she would be ready for the beach. Also, it wouldn't hurt to be half-naked when Vegeta came looking into why she was laying in the backyard. Perhaps she might get him into the pool with her for a bit of fun before dinner. She had plans to order out for dinner, he'd cooked for them a few times now and she wanted to give him the night off so he could spend more time training. Which would hopefully put him in a better mood for fooling around with her?

Once home Bulma showered, applied suntan lotion all over her body dawned her lime green string bikini bottoms, put a loose-fitting blue dress on, grabbed a towel and went down to the kitchen. Certain Vegeta was in the gravity chamber still working out, that Saiyan sure loved to work out, Bulma grabbed a water bottle and went to lay out on one of the lounge chairs on the patio.

Selecting one that wouldn't give Vegeta a perfect view - so he'd have to go out of his way to see her better - she took off the dress and laid down on her back. Bulma wanted to get the front side sunned before Vegeta came around. The last thing she wanted was for Vegeta to think she was trying to get his attention. He was not the type of guy one tried too hard around, that would only make him cocky. Vegeta did not need an ego boost in any area of his life, and she didn't want to let him know his full effect on her.

She had given up too much too soon with Yamcha. It had probably been the reason he didn't respect her in their relationship enough to be faithful to her. It wasn't that she regretted her time with Yamcha. He'd been good to her, for the most part. The Zfighter had an appetite that she never seemed to be able to satisfy, no matter how much she'd tried. After they broke up - and Vegeta showed her she deserved true respect - she had spent a good amount of the following two days dissecting every part of her and Yamcha's relationship. In the end, the bluenette knew she had tried too hard to keep him and that was exactly how he'd been able to get away with all the bullshit for so long. She'd given away her self respect to him and he'd taken it without a second thought then thrown it away.

That wasn't entirely Yamcha's fault, she could've taken it back but had continued to allow herself to be strung along without ever questioning the relationship's longevity. She had just been blinded by her own vanity, he was the bad boy, life with him had been one big adventure after another. He had been so dangerous, in the best way possible. And Bulma Briefs wanted a bit of danger in her life.

Danger was practically Vegeta's name.

Thinking about Vegeta made her heart flutter. Had he meant what he'd said the other night about Saiyans and their loyalty to their sexual partners? She didn't think he was lying, not with how he practically begged her to let him kill Yamcha for her honor. It was sort of romantic in an archaic medieval kinda way. Then what had he said to her 'tu-ak nevate.' What did that mean? It almost feels like he was calling her something, something special. The fact that he spoke in his native language when they were intimate made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. What a truly incredible man he was when no one was around. Bulma didn't think anyone would ever be as privileged as her to see the caring and tender man under the Prince's cold exterior. She was falling hard and it was completely different this time.

Turning over she daydreamed about what a life with Vegeta might be like? Would he want children? Did she want children? Yeah, she did, eventually. Not for a few years though, she wanted to experience a life with Vegeta first. Would they travel in space? She wondered if he would be willing to take her into space? They'd been getting along well for the past few days alone. But was that because of the newness of it all? Maybe they could travel the Earth and see how that went, before going into space. She knew Vegeta would keep her safe.

That was of course if they all survived the Androids.

What was she doing?

Fantasizing about a life with Vegeta when the future was so uncertain? The Saiyan was several yards away working himself to death to ascend and become a Super Saiyan, that was all he talked about wanting for the past two years. Why would that change because they shared a bed? He was a man, why did she think she was anything more than a distraction?

Groaning Bulma beat her first and kicked the lounge chair she laid upon.

"Woman, what in the blazes are you doing?" Vegeta growled at her. He'd come out of the gravity chamber to prepare a meal for them, having sensed her arrive home over three hours ago. He knew she was near the pool. Walking close to see what she was doing he saw red when he realized she was practically naked. The weakling had been there earlier. What if he came back and saw her laid out in nothing but a skimpy loincloth? He wouldn't be able to keep from murdering the earthling if he saw her this way.

"Aahh!" Bulma jumped up clutching her towel to her chest. "Vegeta! Geez, you scared me! Why do you keep doing that? What the hell!?"

Grabbing her wrist he pulled her up to his level and let everything he was feeling and thinking show in his eyes. Jealousy that another might see her like this. Concern and fear that someone could've taken advantage of her vulnerability. Anger at her that she was out here like this in the first place, and at himself for not seeing to her safety as soon as she'd gotten home. Especially since Vegeta had been brooding over the weakling's earlier prescience at the dwelling.

Bulma looked deep into his eyes and saw all his anger, concern, and fear laced with jealousy. Vegeta kept glancing down and around them looking for unwanted observers. Smiling at his jealousy and concern she forgot about her thoughts before he'd scared a year off of her life.

"Waiting for you," she purred as she stepped closer to him, dropping her towel and pressing her now bare chest against his. The shock on his face made her giggle.

"You vulgar little thing," Vegeta growled in mock annoyance.

The Prince of Saiyans couldn't deny that he'd secretly hoped she was so underdressed for him. Anger dissipating with her little display lust thundered through him. Returning her arm behind her back he crashed his mouth to hers. He couldn't stand the thought of any other man occupying her thoughts or worshiping her body. His other hand roamed her body. From her shoulder and neck, over her breast down her side across her hip squeezing possessively at her ass, before following the line of her bikini around to the front. Where his hand dove inside and teased her opening with gentle strokes.

Bulma moaned into the kiss and was rewarded with two of Vegeta's fingers curled and plunged into her sex. Her head fell back and she cried out with pleasure, the prince not missing a beat trailed kisses down the long column of her throat. Nipping at her collar bone, he released her arm wrapping his own around her and lifting her up against him. He pulled his hand from her core and smiled at her wickedly when she looked at him in question. Chuckling he stepped off the edge of the deep end of the pool and plunged them both into the cool water.

Struggling under the water Bulma fought against him and was surprised he released her. She kicked her way to the surface and heard him laughing at her. Furious he surprised her with the cold shock of the water she splashed at him.

"Vegeta you jerk I want ready for that! Aagh, it was cold an-" she stopped when the heat of his body pressed into hers from behind and his arms wrapped around her.

"If you were ready for it, it wouldn't have been a surprise," the Saiyan chuckled against her ear.

Turning in his grasp she kissed him for all she was worth. She had hoped he would join her in the pool. When his hands began to slowly roam her body again she broke the kiss and pushed his head under the water, escaping quickly while he was still stunned by her move. Laughing she swam to where she could touch and waited for Vegeta to make his move.

Dropping to the bottom of the pool Vegeta let her escape, for now. His instincts chortled at the idea of playing with their female. Smiling he launched himself through the water slow enough to allow Bulma time to dodge him.

Diving to the side the bluenette evaded the prince but felt his hand side over her ass and down her leg. Delighted that he was playing with her, she wondered how long he would let the game play out. Holding onto the edge with her feet pressed flat against the wall she waited for Vegeta to advance in her again.

Coming up for air and to look into her azure pools filled with mischief and desire. Keeping his smirk hidden under the water Vegeta crept towards her. She watched his every move like he was the prey. Then he shifted quickly around the pool, stopping each time just long enough for her to spot him before he moved again.

Bulma was excited when he started using his advanced abilities. She wanted to see if she could keep away from him. He appeared right in front of her and by the time she squeaked he was gone. Reappearing several feet to the left Bulma knew this was her chance. As soon as he disappeared she dove under the water pushing off the wall with her feet, launching herself to the other side of the pool. She came up on the other side and turned around scanning the surface for Vegeta. She didn't see him anywhere and stepped away from the wall to look into the deep end. There was still no sign of him. Where had that Saiyan gone?

"Boo," Vegeta said from directly behind her and she screamed.

"Aaahhh!" Jumping out of her skin Bulma turned around to see Vegeta standing inches from where she'd been standing. "Rrrr what's the big idea?" She growled, annoyed he'd scared her again.

"Hehehe," Vegeta captured her around the waist and pulled her against him, pleased by the heart that filled her cheeks when she realized he was completely naked. "Because it angers you when you feel embarrassed because you were frightened. And you are exquisite when you're angry."

"Is that so?" Bulma teased. She hadn't been expecting his engorged member pressing into her stomach when he'd pulled her against him. His shorts gone, removed at some point during that last few minutes of their game. Combined with his compliment her anger dissipated and brought back her mischievous smirk.

Vegeta leaned into her neck and growled in response as he pushed her back against the wall of the pool. As he moved with her through the water he pulled at the strings on her bikini bottom. Entering her depths as he pinned her to the wall they both hissed in their shared pleasure. Bulma wrapped her limbs around him and held on as he plunged into her again and again. The Saiyan prince was so focused on her that he forgot the rest of his surroundings and drowned in the feel of her and the delicious noises she made.

Bulma crying out, pinned to the edge of the pool and Vegeta pounding into her with inhuman speed was exactly how Yamcha found them.

* * *

Notes: Uh oh! Yamcha is back and he is getting an eyeful!


	13. Chapter 13

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

* * *

Landing out front, Yamcha made sure he didn't have any lipstick on his neck or collar before getting out of his aircar. He rehearsed a few lines in the mirror and made sure he had his most charming smile on. Oh, there was no way Bulma would reject him a second time, the blue-haired heiress was done for. When he shut the door to his vehicle Yamcha thought he heard a scream. Surveying the neighborhood the Zfighter didn't see anyone around, feeling out with his ki he noticed Vegeta was on the backside of the house. He walked up to the door and just when he was about to push the doorbell he heard Bulma scream. Panicking he rushed to the side of the house he heard her cry out again, in what he'd assumed, was pain. Following the sound to the back yard, the Zfighter stopped dead in his tracks at what he was seeing. Vegeta had her trapped, pinned to the edge of the pool, caged in by his powerful arms and was obviously violating her.

"Hey! You rapist, get the fuck off of her right now!"

The couple in the pool froze. A low deadly growl started in Vegeta's chest. Bulma was pulled from her shock that Yamcha of all people had caught them in the act, and clung to Vegeta with all her strength. He turned his eyes filled with fiery rage and his growl on her. How dare she deny him the right to defend his claim to her? Unconcerned with his posturing - why did he even need to bother with it? - she was wrapped around him in more ways than one. She was with him and didn't want anything from the other male than for him to leave.

"Don't let me go, please. I don't want him to see me naked," she whispered her plea to him as she stroked his spine and shoulder blades in an attempt to calm his wrath.

His growl didn't fade but he wrapped his arms around her in reassurance and pulled away from the edge. Slipping out of her core Vegeta began walking them to the stairs on the far side of the pool from the weakling. He needed the time to calm the angry boner he had, she had been close when they were interrupted and he ached to return to her depths. Also, he wanted to make a display of the trust she had in him and the care he gave her so the human male would see that Bulma was now his woman. Taking his time, concentrating on keeping her body hidden from the earthling's view he ignored the other male's demands.

"I said let her go you fucking monster!" Yamcha shouted.

"What are you doing here!?" Bulma screeched with her right hand over Vegeta's left ear so she didn't deafen him.

"Huh, wait, what? What the fuck is going on here?" Yamcha couldn't believe what he was seeing. Bulma was stroking Vegeta's back with one hand and had placed the other over his ear when she yelled. Yamcha had never seen her do that for any of her friends when she'd shout, not even him. Did she care about Vegeta or something? As the pair rose from the water Yamcha could see her legs were wrapped around Vegeta with her ankles locked, the Saiyan wasn't forcing her at all. Jealousy and betrayal burned in the Zfighter's gut. How could she be with Vegeta, out of all the men on Earth? He had been responsible for the death of their friends and his own death.

"Go away Yamcha," Bulma said. Vegeta used his speed to get them to the chair she'd been using earlier. Her dress and towel were still there and he wanted her covered so he could kill the intruder. "Go back out front and ring the bell, like a normal person."

"Or stay there, and let me gut you for interrupting," Vegeta said between clenched teeth.

"Vegeta no, we talked about this. You're not going to kill him," she said with finality.

Huffing at her he lowered her to the chair and held up the towel behind his hips to block her from view as well as give her the privacy to admire his physique. Smiling up at the wicked Saiyan, Bulma blushed and licked her lips as she scanned Vegeta's naked form before she pulled her dress on over her head. He had done this on purpose, Blocked them both with the towel, and Bluma found it undeniably sexy. it was a small semblance of privacy in a very exposed situation and it was turning her on all over again.

Yamcha was livid, "B, what the hell is this shit? Were you- are you did he hurt you!?"

If Bulma hadn't been ready for a stupid question like that Yamcha might have been dead before he finished that sentence. as soon as the 'what the hell' fell from the Zfighter's mouth Bulma placed both her hands on Vegeta's hips and leaned forward to run her nose up the top of his thigh near the incredibly soft bed of hairs moaning at the musky scent of him. Over the V line that defined his hip, nipping gently at the taught muscles eliciting a groan from deep in Vegeta's chest. That display of submission and desire worked to distract Vegeta and he didn't even hear the other man's accusation, Bulma was the only thing that existed in his world at that moment. The beautiful genius smiled up at him brightly. That smile was its own reward and he shifted the towel to wrap his waist as she stood up before him. Taking his face in her hands she pressed her lips to his quickly and leaned her forehead into his.

"Please Vegeta, let me deal with him. I need to do this, please go inside a-"

"Are you insane? After what he did to you do you really think I'd leave you alone with _him_?" Vegeta was livid she wanted to be alone with this pathetic earthling.

"No, Vegeta. I'm confident that you will be right there in the kitchen watching, and you won't let anything happen to me," Bulma whispered against his lips. "Now please, let me handle this. I need to see this through."

The determination to face what had happened between her and the Zfighter blazed in her eyes and Vegeta couldn't help but admire her strength of character.

Closing his eyes he nodded once and turned his face away and warned, "If he touches you I'll rip his fucking arms off."

Bulma sighed at his stubbornness but nodded her agreement. That was the best she was going to get out of him in this situation and had no intention of allowing Yamcha to touch her. Not when she still tingled all over from Vegeta's hands and ached to have him back between her thighs. Vegeta assessed her from the corner of his eye when her scent spiked. She caught the look and took a second to admire his nakedness before burning him with a look of pure desire. She needed Vegeta to know that she only wanted him, and it was his body she was missing. Softening his gaze for her he stepped away. Bulma grabbed his hand before the prince left.

"In the drawer of the hall table," the one Vegeta had taken her on top of the other night, "there are take out menus, pull them out and pick one to get dinner from. It's my turn to treat you." Smirking he walked away and entered the kitchen. Standing at the counter Vegeta kept himself hidden in the shadows and glare of the sliding glass doors and watched as the two former lovers argued.

When Vegeta was inside Bulma turned back to the Zfighter and crossed her arms over her chest. Yamcha was stunned, never in a million years would he have thought that Bulma would actually fuck Vegeta. Even though he'd used it as an excuse for his own unfaithfulness he never believed she'd go through with it. That was why he'd thought she was being forced, but after watching the two interact Yamcha was finding it hard to deny that what he'd walked in on had indeed been consensual.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"What the hell was that!? Are you okay? That monster didn't hurt you did he?" Yamcha yelled.

"What kind of stupid questions are those? He would never hurt me, and isn't it obvious what it was?" Bulma shifted her weight to one hip and raised an eyebrow in challenge.

"You mean to tell me th-that yo-you and Ve...Ve...that-that monster-"

"Vegeta," she cut in, tired of the man's stuttering, "His name is Vegeta, and if you dare call him a monster again, I'll let him come out here and rip you to pieces. Just like I know he'd love to."

"How long have you been fucking him!?" Yamcha yelled.

"Hmm, that's none of your business."

"None of my business? None of my BUSINESS!? So I was right you had been cheating on me with him? The man that killed me? Did this start when I was still dead?" Yamcha was yelling now and had taken a step forward.

"Firstly he didn't kill you, he just stood by and laughed and that was years ago, people change. Secondly, I _never_ cheated on you, dead or alive. Now, what the hell are you doing here!?" Bulma was losing her patience.

"Are you insane? This is V-Vegeta! Bulma he's a mass-murdering psychopath! He's dangerous!" Yamcha took a couple of steps towards her, he wanted to shake some sense into her.

Taking a step back, Bulma put her hands on her hips and glared at the Zfighter. "You would know a slut when you see one, wouldn't you Yamcha? Vegeta hasn't done anything like that in years and besides, I don't remember you complaining when I took an internationally wanted bandit to my bed and gave him my virginity! How many people did you kill, or died of exposure because you robbed them and left them in the desert!?" Crossing her arms over her chest again she stuck her nose up and looked away from Yamcha indignantly, "At least Vegeta doesn't nag me to do things I don't want to do."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Yamcha didn't like the way she was talking and took another step towards her.

"You better back off," she stuck a hand or in front of her, "I'm not going to stop him from killing you if you touch me. I have already saved your stupid ass twice since you decided to trespass and interrupt."

Yamcha took a half a step back and tried to see through the glass doors to the kitchen. He could barely make out the outline of the menacing Saiyan inside.

"And don't play dumb mister," she continued, "you know full well what I'm talking about. You nagged me into doing what you wanted and then used me for it multiple times. I thought you loved me but you just wanted to own me, to dominate me." Bulma hugged herself and shuddered at the memory.

"B... I-I don't get it. What are you trying to say exactly?" Seeing her so upset he took another step towards her but a rush of air stopped him. Scowling at the still half-naked Saiyan, Yamcha looked away not wanting to see this other man comfort what was his. Not stupid enough to try to stop it and end up dead, again, Yamcha stewed in bitter jealousy. Bulma was supposed to be his woman, he was going to marry her and never have to worry about money ever again.

Vegeta had been watching and when Bulma hugged herself and shuddered he was ready to tare the weakling apart. Then her ki shuddered and he went to her offering his support. The other man wasn't worth her tears and he took her in his arms and moved her two meters away from the interloper.

The pair looked into each other's eyes and Vegeta wiped the single tear that escaped away. Taking a strengthening breath Bulma nodded to Vegeta and encouraged him to move to the side so she could finish the confrontation. She needed to do this, she needed to get all of it out into the open. Vegeta conceded to her needs and stepped aside - not willing to leave her alone he stood behind her to the side - bolstering her with his strength.

"Wow B, I can't believe you'd pick _him_ over me." He heard Vegeta growl but ignored the angry alien.

"There is no contest Yamcha," Bulma said, mostly for Vegeta. She needed him to calm down, his growling was distracting her.

"How can you say that!? I know you B, we've been together for years! I thought we would get married if you'd ever say yes when I asked," Yamcha shouted.

"Get over yourself, our relationship has been on the rocks for a few years. I know it, and you know it too. Sure when I was in college I thought I was going to marry you but things change. You changed, and now I've changed. I see how toxic our relationship became. How I allowed myself to lose my self-respect with you. I gave and gave to you and you increasingly treated me like a commodity. The second we would hit a rough patch, instead of giving me space and taking that time to reflect on your own actions you filled the void with another warm body. Don't you dare stand there and tell me what I should and shouldn't do? Whom I should and shouldn't love! It's not your business, _I'm_ not your business anymore, so just fuck off!"

"You-you love him!? Vegeta!?" Yamcha was beside himself. While practically everything she said was true it still stung to realize he'd played a part in her hurt, but to hear her profess love for Vegeta was too much. "Are you insane!? He doesn't care about you, he only cares about himself. The guy is a narcissistic asshole that would sooner destroy Earth then have feelings!"

"You would know all about being a narcissist wouldn't you?" Bulma responded in a calm collected manner. She heard Vegeta grunt behind her when Yamcha asked if she loved him and she hoped to the kami he wouldn't turn away from her now. Then he spoke and she struggled not to look back at him, she wanted to see the look in his eyes the set of his jaw but she needed to see Yamcha's face as the words fell like smoke from Vegeta's lips.

"You know nothing about me, you pathetic excuse for a man. I would never do what you have done to another living creature, least of all Bulma. Murder complete families, yes. Slaughter entire races, absolutely. Destroy planets, heh, of course. But I would never force myself inside another being, that is for scum like _Frieza_." Vegeta spat the name with more venom than he usually did, and knew he said more than he would've liked when Bulma gasped and peered over her shoulder at him finally. Looking away Vegeta huffed in embarrassment and marched back inside leaving the two humans to finish their argument.

"What was all that about?" Yamcha was thoroughly confused. Was Vegeta trying to say he'd never raped anyone? The Zfighter found that hard to believe. Why wouldn't a planet conquerer take whatever he wanted, including women? And was he implying that Yamcha had?

"Haven't you been listening?" Bulma asked annoyed that Yamcha was so daft in the head and that Vegeta had just outed his own pain. Now she was stuck dealing with the Zfighter when all she wanted was to go to her prince and be the support he needed, just as he'd been for her. She had hoped he'd only witnessed terrible things and how it could break people, not been broken by it himself. No wonder he empathized with her pain.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yamcha didn't like what they were implying.

"You are such an idiot, you know that? I can't believe I have to spell this out for you," Yamcha just stood there denying the implications of what both of the others were saying to him. Groaning Bulma spoke her truth on the matter, "I never liked butt sex!" She yelled embarrassed she had to do this. "You nagged me into it, and I only agreed because you liked it and I thought I loved you. That was what Vegeta was talking about. That's what I was talking about!"

Yamcha was stunned, he thought she'd started to enjoy it. Now he felt like a piece of shit. Scum, as Vegeta had put it. Looking down at his feet he struggled with what to say. How was he supposed to make this better? Could he even make it better?

"You need to leave. Now." Bulma said as she walked to the side of the house and retrieved the pool skimmer. Her bathing suit bottom was still in the pool as were Vegeta's shorts. "Just leave my stuff on the front step before you go and I'll gather up your shit and you can come by on Monday and pick it up."

Yamcha watched as she fished her bottoms and Vegeta's out of the pool. Letting her words sink in he knew they were really done. He'd taken her for granted, taken advantage of her, taken everything she had to give and fell short of reciprocating all the love she'd given him. Yamcha felt anger at himself, jealousy that she had turned to Vegeta, and hurt that she wouldn't give him another chance.

"You fucking slut! Who the hell would ever want you anyway!? I'm out of here!" He blew up at her without thinking and stormed off.

Glaring at the retreating Zfighter she tried not to let his words hurt her. She hung the shorts and bikini on the line to dry and went inside to find Vegeta, hooping he was in the kitchen. The warrior was not there but she did find a Thai menu laid out near the phone with five dishes circled. She smiled knowing he was going to turn up later and placed the order adding her own choice and three appetizers. It would take fifty minutes to arrive.

Feeling itchy Bulma went upstairs to take a shower. When she made it to the top of the stairs she could hear Vegeta's shower running and breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried he had left, and might not return until she fell asleep. Hesitating at her door she contemplated joining him in his shower. He'd left her alone with Yamcha in his embarrassment though and she decided against it. Vegeta needed his space if he wanted comfort he'd come to her, she wasn't going to push him to share his pain. When he chose to show himself again she would let him know that she was here for him whenever he was ready, if he was ever ready.

After her shower, Bulma was dressed in a pair of pajama pants and a tank top. Sitting on the couch watching her favorite comedy show drinking a glass of wine waiting for the food to arrive. Her laughter filled the house.

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Notes: I can't even describe the humility I feel when someone follows, reviews, or favorites my story. Two years ago I wasn't even comfortable sharing any of my works, and to know others enjoy it almost as much as I enjoy writing them down is just amazing! My love to all of you.


	14. Chapter 14

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

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AN: This was one of my favorite chapters to write so far. During all of my research into monkey behavior and subsequently sociology and all the poor little monkeys that were experimented on, this chapter is for them. I really do love it when Vegeta lets himself go and allows himself to be just a monkey. After all the shit of his life, Vegeta gets the physical interaction he truly needs.

* * *

Vegeta was sitting on the edge of his bed, still naked. His hair wet and limp around his head. He hadn't bothered to use his ki to dry instead allowing himself to air dry, chilling his skin in an attempt to numb him from his own feelings. He stared at the pink towel he'd taken off the chair outside. He wanted to go to Bulma, he knew she was downstairs relaxing, and wanted to pull her into his lap and hold her close. Take peace in her presence, even though he didn't think he deserved it. The weakling was right Vegeta had done horrible things in his first life. Did the prince deserve the bluenette's affection? Her love? It was such a simple word, it didn't even scratch the surface of his feelings towards her. He hoped against all rationale that she might reciprocate even a fraction of his affection. Groaning he fell back into his bed.

When had he grown so soft? Why did he ever give in to these fucking instincts? All of these emotions they kept stirring up were making him feel like he was losing a part of himself. Why couldn't he get control of himself around her? _'Make her our mate!'_ his instincts screamed at him. She was their queen and until she was marked they would continue to be at war with each other. He was resisting his instincts and that would only end in tragedy.

Her laughter filled the house and broke him out of his thoughts. Before he even knew what he was doing he was dry, dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a black T-shirt and exiting his room into the hall. Hesitating at the top of the stairs Vegeta wondered what was he going to do. He wasn't sure what to say to this little female that had forced her way into his soul. The sound of her joy lifted through the air again and drew him onwards.

At the bottom of the stairs, he stopped and watched from his vantage. Bulma was laying on the couch her feet, from about mid-calf down, were hanging over the arm. Every time she giggled softly her toes would curl, but only a little and only with the last 'hee' of her quiet 'tee-hee-hee's. When something would cause her to emit a loud 'HA' her right foot kicked. If she gave a fully-bodied laugh those toes curled and she flexed her feet, pointing those toes to the wall in the hallway. It was all he could see of her but that didn't stop his grin cracking the mask he'd tried so hard to fix into place. Approaching silently he ran a finger up the bottom of those beautiful expressive feet.

"GAAAHHOH MY GOD!" Bulma screamed as she sat up and looked at the cocky, smirking face of Vegeta. "You are such a fucking jerk!" Bulma stood up on the couch in front of Vegeta, towering over him she poked him in the chest, "Why do you keep doing that!?"

Between her antics, his teasing and her reaction Vegeta couldn't help himself and broke into a burst of deep laughter. It was perfect, her terrified reaction then complete lack of fear once she realized it was... _him?_ It was exactly what he needed and broke the tension in the house. Bulma gaped at him while he laughed, she'd never heard this laugh before. It had started as a cocky chuckle but changed quickly and ended all too fleetingly.

"Hmm you are too easy," his cocky playfulness from earlier had returned.

"Rrr," the bluenette growled and plopped herself back down onto the couch. Secretly she found it refreshing he didn't cower like all the other men in her life but she still refused to look at him. Partly because she was embarrassed at her outburst. Secondly, she didn't want to comment on his burst of what was his real laugh or his calmer mood and get rebuffed. Instead, she poured him a glass of wine and held it out for him so he would have to step closer to accept it.

The prince only stared at her, unmoving. He waited for her to make a deal out of what had happened. He didn't know how the confrontation with the weakling ended but her mood seemed amused and annoyed with him. After her non-committal to the question on love then him having left out of embarrassment he expected her to question him, or at least say _something_. This was better than he'd expected, she wasn't pushing.

"Might as well get comfy. The food has another thirty minutes until it will arrive," Bulma said without looking at Vegeta, her eye fixed on the TV screen and hand with his glad still held out.

Quirking an eyebrow at her Vegeta was suspicious she might be trying to trap him somehow. His eyes roamed her body. The thin-strapped pink tank top hugged every contour of her. From his altitude, Vegeta could see more of her pert breasts than when they had been eye level. So he let out an appreciative growl. When she cut her eyes to the side she looked as suspicious as he'd felt a moment ago, and with that, he gave in to the desire to be in contact with her. Taking the three steps it took to get to her he leaned over and openly smelled her as he took the offered glass.

Bulma was practically itching with her impatience. Why was he just standing there watching her? Vegeta's husky growl and the appreciation on his semi-relaxed face gave her the encouragement to remain patient. Unable to hide the smile when he took the glass from her hand, Bulma gasped in surprised elation when he _smelled_ her. Heat rose in her face at the fact that such an animalistic act aroused her. Curiosity at what he might do next helped the bluenette to wait and allow him to make his move.

Spurred on by her reaction, Vegeta gracefully lifted his left leg, bending at the knee and slipped it behind Bulma. Framing her hips with his left leg Vegeta sat leaning back against the arm of the couch, his heel gently pressing against her left hip. His right leg was turned out with his foot flat on the floor, a glass of wine balanced on his knee supported by two fingers. Vegeta's left arm resting over the back of the couch facing the gorgeous enigma of a woman, he watched her for another moment.

Slowly, Bulma turned her head to peer at the devilishly handsome Saiyan. What she saw made her heart melt. Vegeta had his head tipped down and while the posture was predatory in nature, it was contradicted by the warmth in his shining obsidian eyes. Then he tipped his chin to the side and beckoned her closer with a nod and the feather-light touch of his fingertips to her shoulder. Bulma didn't wait to see if he would offer again. She crawled to hover over Vegeta's chest and pressed a sweet kiss to his lips before laying down on top of him tucking her head under his chin.

Firming his touch to her shoulder as she moved closer Vegeta slid it down her back to rest on her hip as she laid down, halfway on her side. It started as a vibration in his chest and built into a low hum of sound. when she held him a little tighter Vegeta instinctually let out the first chortle from the back of his throat. The high pitched noise was embarrassing, it felt like it had come out over a lump in his throat. determined to prove he could do better than that he let out more low warbling sounds mixed into the hum he was still emitting. It all blended together like a soft song cocooning them in the peace he'd been feeling with her. A part of him still didn't think he deserved this but he was too selfish to give it up. Having her wrapped in his arms in a non-sexually intimate embrace the prince felt pieces of himself shift and begin to settle within him. This act was for her and her alone, he would never have another.

The pair remained that way for the next twenty-six minutes. Bulma was so touched he had initiated a snuggling session and Vegeta was lost in the comforting contentment of the physical contact he hadn't known he needed in his life. It scared him. Feeling fear wasn't something he was comfortable with, fear was something to be conquered. Yet Vegeta couldn't deny the rightness of it all, of _her_, his Bulma.

Feeling the approaching ki of a weak earthling he knew it must be whatever delivery service was bringing them the evening meal, and their interlude would soon come to an end. Vegeta held her a little tighter and buried his face in her hair breathing his fill of her sweetly feminine scent. It was calming and he took it greedily, wanting the moment to linger for him once she inevitably rose to retrieve the food.

When the doorbell rang Vegeta was prepared for it, but not for Bulma's reaction.

"Oh no! I forgot the box Yamcha left on the porch!" She jumped up, making Vegeta grunt with the rough contact to his groin as she moved. "Shit, I hope there isn't anything embarrassing in it." She said mostly to herself as she went to answer the door.

Not liking the idea of her embarrassment in front of some stranger, Vegeta followed at a distance and stopped a few feet behind her as she opened the door. Looking between the delivery boy juggling three bags of food plus the pad that required her signature, and the box of personal items resting at the kid's feet. She had almost forgotten how much food had been ordered, that kid was preoccupied with not dropping the delivery not looking through her stuff. None of that stopped her from blushing, embarrassed with her foolishness and turned to call Vegeta to help her. She smiled brightly to see her was a few feet behind her, his arms crossed over his chest with his typical scowl firmly in place.

"Would you take the food from this guy, please?" turning the smile up a notch when he dropped his arms and approached.

He didn't look at her once he began moving, his focus on the man holding their food. The other male was practically drooling over Bulma, the lust was making him clumsy and he was going to drop Vegeta's dinner. When the woman had turned to the side the prince caught him gapping at her chest in the stretched profile position. As she spoke and the Saiyan warrior began to move the youth's attention shifted to Vegeta. Coming up beside her, he allowed his hand to slide across her lower back. Smirking in masculine pride, he and took the food from the young earthling that was gaping at him now. Vegeta stayed in the doorway to the side and half a step ahead of Bulma. They weren't mates yet but he was staking his claim and would keep himself between his chosen female and this unknown male.

Bulma signed for the food and gave the kids a good tip. She felt bad he had first had to juggle so much food and then for the fact that she forgot how intimidating Vegeta was to other people, and she had put him right in front of the kid. The poor guy looked ready to run for his life! Vegeta hadn't moved after taking the food and she wondered why before figuring he wasn't sure where she wanted to eat, but when she pulled the box from Yamcha inside and closed the door he marched straight into the kitchen with it all.

"Vegeta, bring it to the living room I'm in the middle of an episode," she called after him, annoyed he'd been rude to the delivery boy.

Turning around he set all three bags down on the coffee table. Bulma pulled everything out, opening the appetizers and setting Vegeta's meals to the right side of the table. She was annoyed with him and he didn't understand why. She wasn't speaking to him or even looking at him. Taking a seat beside her but not touching, he grabbed a box of food and picked up the paper wrapped chopsticks. Removing the paper he tipped his head to the side and looked between the piece of wood in his hand and the two thinner ones in Bulma's. Seeing him staring quizzically at the chopsticks she took pity on the prince. Seeing her box of food down she offered her assistance.

"Here," she pointed to the indentation that ran the length of the wood, "gently grip both sides between for thumb and forefinger and break them apart along this line."

"Ha," he marveled at the strangeness when the one stick became two identical to hers after following her instruction.

She smiled at his childlike reaction to something so simple and forgot her annoyance.

They enjoyed the relaxed meal together, each of them dipping their chopsticks into every container. While Bulma samples everything and ate less than half of her own dish, Vegeta cleaned out all the other containers and helped her finish the bottle of wine. Full and content Vegeta pulled her back into his lap, much to her surprise. Snuggling into the embrace Bulma melted into the feeling of safety his arms gave her. Vegeta's call returned and they stayed, reveling in the peace of the give and take of comfort.


	15. Chapter 15

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

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**!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!MAJOR LEMON WARNING!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!**

AN: So pleased to get another favorite for this story! This will be the last lemon for some time. The flame burned hot and bright but now its time to get into the nitty-gritty of the baggage these two wily characters have been dragging around.

If you are reading this story please review or PM me. At the very least support it with that follow or favorite button. Follow me as an author to stay in touch with the second segment covering the 7-year gap that is in the works. I write in chaos and develop the story around scenes I wrote that I like and fit. I had originally had a very different story for Vegeta's horrific past... but, after all was written I couldn't bring myself to make his past that traumatic... what was written in this story was only slightly less horrific... Thank Gaia I am writing a horror novel otherwise you might think I'm fucked in the head... I am.

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Bulma fell asleep on Vegeta's chest his soft calls lulling her into a restful doze. She woke when he shifted to carry her up the stairs. The woman watched him silently as he carried her bridal style through the house. It was in these few unguarded moments that she felt like she could fall in love with this man. He was so handsome when his eyes and brow relaxed, the angle of his brow still devilishly sinister but less menacing more alluring. The hooded lids made his usually hard obsidian eyes glow with sensual heat. The sharp angles of his features contrasting with the softness in those eyes of his when he glanced down making eye contact with her. Bulma hummed and nuzzled into his chest breathing deeply his scent of pepper and frankincense. Scenting up to his neck the bluenette began playing her lips against the pulse she could feel beating faster. She moaned as she teased his flesh.

The action was encouraging, a verbal and non-verbal display punctuating her own desire to mate. His instincts told him she accepted his offer put forth by his display on the couch. Laying her in her bed Vegeta stripped himself with his inhuman speed. The Prince worshiped her entire body as he exposed every part of her flesh to his hungry eyes and seeking hands. Bulma begged and pleaded with him for more as he tortured her with the slow-burning glide of his tongue and fingers. When he felt satisfied he'd touched or licked every part of her, except the one place she desperately wanted him to give attention, he rose up over her and looked down at the goddess queen begging for him. Spreading her legs for him Bulma ran her hands up her own body to her neck and arched her back off the mattress. That was it, the final little display he needed to start the ritual mating.

"Such a vulgar display, Navete," Vegeta purred in a deep husky voice, making Burma's flushed chest and face deepen in color.

Shifting between her thighs he bowed his back and lifted her core up to his mouth. Giving one firm lick up the center the Saiyan plunged his tongue deep tasting her nectar and rubbing his nose against her clit he growled. Unable to hold back any longer when her gasps and mewling grew he set her down and buried himself into her depths in one smooth motion. savoring the feeling of her warmth Vegeta passionately kissed her and began a slow build-up of the pleasure and tension.

It didn't take long for Bulma to reach her first climax. The prince seemed to be in a trance and maintained steady powerful thrusts and slow languid strokes. As Vegeta reached his climax a snarling growl began deep in his chest and traveled up. Bulma watched him through hooded eyelids until his nose began to twitch and wrinkle. Trying to keep her eyes open while he almost violently plunged into her again and again, she wanted to see his face when he came.

His nose was now twitching uncontrollably in a constant state of wrinkled with a half snarl pulling ar his upper lip. It was so reminiscent of the permanent snarl on the face of the Saiyan ape form she wanted to giggle, but he was driving into her, hitting her womb with each thrust and had angled himself to drag his shaft over her clit with every movement they made. Bulma was quickly reaching her second climax, and she almost missed it when he released into her and forced her into orgasm. His lips pulled up head fell back and he roared out his pleasure to the ceiling. Bulma clung to his sweat-soaked body, her limbs wrapped tightly around him as they rode out the most intense orgasms yet. Vegeta rocked into her as he continued to spill his seed into her depths. He rested his forehead on her shoulder supporting his body on his firearms to either side of her, while he struggled to remember how to breathe.

Relaxing Bulma slid her legs down feeling all of the contours of the perfectly defined backs of Vegeta's legs with her feet. At the same time, she ran her hands, fingers splayed, across his shoulders and down his arms feeling the ridges between his triceps and biceps. She felt him shiver, but wouldn't comment.

Vegeta shuddered under her touch and in order to mask it from her notice he used his strength and speed to flip them over, all the while keeping them connected. He pressed his back into the bed and stretched to stop the tingling sensation she sent through his entire being with her act. It had revitalized him and he wanted to watch her take her pleasure before he took her again.

Bulma felt it as the shiver started he started to grow within her and then he tensed. Before she knew it she was on the top of him, still connected and she pressed up to look down at him. Smiling at the smirk on his face, it screamed _'Try your best, earthling!'_ with his hooded eyes and relaxed brow. Using her left arm to support her she readjusted her legs, and with her right, she ran it over Vegeta's uncreased forehead and over his left cheek cupping it as her smile turned to a smirk in counter to his.

When she touched his forehead and pressed her palm to his face in a gentle caress. Vegeta instinctually nuzzled into it - craving the gentle grooming - and taking a deep breath of her scent as it came off of her. He had a fleeting moment where he dropped all pretenses and allowed himself the freedom to feel. The only thought he had at that moment was how much he wanted to live out the rest of his life right here with Bulma wrapped around him. It terrified him, not that he would admit it to himself, so instead, he repressed it and threw his internal wall back up. Instead, concentrating on enjoying the view of Bulma's feminine form as she rose up over him until she was sitting. Cracking a grin in challenge to her teasingly defiant smirk and allowing a growl to rise up in his chest.

The deep growl caused his entire body to vibrate under her as Bulma sat fully and she ground herself into him. Looking down at Vegeta she was stuck again by his godlike perfection. Yes, he was sacred and calloused but that only added to her attraction and the idea of him being an intergalactic god of war. That thought made her ache as she began to raise up over him and meeting his leisure thrusts grind herself back down, taking him fully into her. Placing her hands on his hard chest she picked up her pace allowing her eyes to close.

Vegeta stretched his neck bringing his face closer to her, watching the pleasure play across her angelic face and the flush rising under her skin. It started between her glorious breasts and rose with each beat or her heart until it reached her cheeks and settled there. He thought again that she was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen, and growled in appreciation.

Bulma opened her eyes and squeaked to find his face so close to her own. He smirked at surprising her and raised his chin in a non-verbal invitation, she smiled and met his waiting lips kissing him deeply. Vegeta cupped her face in his hands as they kissed and when she pulled away in need of air, he trailed his fingers over her every curve settling on her hips and lower back. He rubbed with firm pressure over the base of her spine where a tail would sprout if she were Saiyan.

He had thought that he would be uncomfortable in this position, feeling controlled or emasculated, but he was finding it relaxing and intriguing. Bulma was moaning her head rolling back her hands on her breasts fondling them as she bounced ever faster on top of him. Her climax was close and Vegeta was still in complete control of himself. This made him feel powerful. The prince quickly deduced that if she could use his body for pleasure before he took him, he could five her multiple orgasms before completing their act. And maybe if he did that she would be better satiated, allowing for him to sleep through the nights they shared a bed and get more training done. He smiled at that thought as she came undone moaning his name in a way he had never dreamed he'd hear.

As Bulma rode out her orgasm pressing core against Vegeta she was surprised again by the Prince's playfulness. He had begun to lift his hips off the mattress and used his strength to bounce her as he continued to thrust into her depths. She likened it to riding a trotting horse for the first time, the bluenette didn't have to do anything but keep herself upright and enjoy his show of strength.

If he had any residual doubts about the position they flew out the window when she came. That was a sight he would never tire of, the full column of her throat put on display for him as her head fell back. The flush that seemed to radiate across her skin in pulsating waves. The way her hands clenched his hips in an attempt to drag him deeper into her body. The need for her entire being in that moment filled him with masculine pride that his body alone could bring out such wanton need in the usually reserved part of the beautiful genius. The power this gave him rivaled that if when he'd first become super Saiyan, or when he was the one in control.

As her pleasure began to build again Bulma took back her control. She met each of his thrusts with equal measure adding a rotation of her hips at differing intervals. Selling to find the one that would give them both the most pleasure. Her sapphire orbs locked with his own obsidian speaking with her eyes the words she dare not say allowed. She wasn't sure exactly when it had happened but the bluenette knew she had fallen hard for the galactic warrior under her. In her refusal to say the words out loud was her fear that he would rebuff her affections, breaking her heart.

Vegeta was locked into her gaze as they shared their effort to attain pleasurable release. He saw the flash of fear tangled up in the other emotions swimming in her blue pools. Without thinking he reached up and dragged her lips to his, whispering foreign words against her lips.

"Ak-fenne tu," his voice husky with the building pleasure, but reverent with his emotions.

Bulma gasped and came as he growled out a grumbling groaning whine after the words she didn't understand. She came around him, throwing her head back and crying out his name. With the length of her neck now on display millimeters from his face, Vegeta flipped them over and took a strong, firm and measured pace, savoring every centimeter of her exquisite sheath as she checked and came undone further. He kissed her again repeating his words as he trailed kisses over her jaw to her ear where he reported the words again. Then trailed his lips down her neck licking kissing and nipping his way to the junction of her shoulder and throat where he sucked roughly.

"Vegeta, don't," Bulma huffed between cries. Pleading for him one to leave a mark where someone at work or her father might see it. While it thrilled her that he speaking with such emotion in what she assumed was his native tongue of Saiyan and that he seemed to be touching her all over with almost feather-light caresses. Never had she felt more special more cherished. Her third climax was building with how controlled he was this time, the amount of will power he exhibited was staggering, it made her womb clench. She encouraged his mouth lower to her chest below her collar bone, Bulma would gladly wear less revealing clothing to conceal his love bites from prying eyes.

Vegeta became almost frantic, he hadn't imagined she would reject his attentions and said more in the language of his birth.

"Ak-fene tu, tu-ak Navete ve? Ak-fene tu-watare hassine ah twayla habite narr. Ak-habite narr no tuwarre. Tu-ak Navete ve?" He pleaded for her to accept what he wanted so selfishly at this moment.

With his words and quickened pace, she came again. Arching her back off the bed and forcing her chest into Vegeta's seeking mouth she locked her legs around his waist trapping him. Bulma was so tight that it forced his own climax.

He felt slightly used as she basked in the throws of her orgasm. Then bitterness began to build in his gut, she had rejected his mark. There would be a slight bruise but it wasn't permanent. The thought of her refusing the location caused him to question if she was ashamed to be with him, or if she wasn't ready to commit to him. With the damage to his pride, his instincts receded and his ego came back as his habitual defense mechanism.

Vegeta rolled off of her and sat on the edge of the bed staring at his discarded clothes mingled with Bulma's scattered across the floor of her room. He didn't need this, he had training to do. The woman had been a distraction, one he was finding difficulty leaving. He wanted to ask her why she had rejected him, why she was toying with him? The look in her eyes before he took control, had clearly shown her affection for him, and he had foolishly allowed himself to profess his own. Yes, it was true she hadn't been able to understand the words, he did that intentionally. It was far easier to express himself freely when he could hide safely behind the knowledge that no one would ever comprehend his words. This time was different he had allowed his feelings to be expressed through more than just the words. It was leaving a bad taste in his mouth and when her hand bragged his side he stood to gather his garments.

"Hey," Bulma called after he pulled away from her again. She had watched him harden as he sat on the edge of her bed. Wanting to know what he had been whispering the woman began to wonder if she'd done something wrong to make him pull away. He usually held her afterward, nuzzling her hair and petting her skin. "Vegeta… what's…" her voice fell with the cold look he gave her over his shoulder.

Vegeta pulled his boxers up and looked at her. The confusion and fear of being hurt on her face only served to piss him off more. How dare she act like she had the right to be offended by his actions, she had rejected him. Him the prince of a godlike warrior race feared and respected throughout the known universes. Who did she think she was too usurp his emotions on the matter when he had laid his heart open to her and she had reflected his offer to make her his queen. With that thought he turned and left the room in his boxers, his clothes draped over his arm.

Bulma was left there completely sated physically but her chest felt like it had been hollowed out. What just happened? Why did he react that way? What did he say to her? She was certain there was a clue hidden in those exotic words. Flopping back on her bed she tried to sleep, his heartfelt articulations ringing in her mind. She rolled over and hugged her pillow where he had been laying early. Burying her face into it she breathed deep and caught the unmistakable scent that was Vegeta, black pepper and frankincense. Slowly she slipped into sleep as her lack of energy won the battle with her brain working overtime to figure out her Saiyan house guest.

Vegeta didn't bother going to his quarters instead he flew through the house and out the door to the gravity room. Locking himself inside he yelled his frustration towards the sky. How could he be so careless? Letting his instincts guide him had served to do nothing but distract him for the last two weeks. The amount of time he had wasted simply to spend time with the woman was unacceptable. Entire days had gone by without him even working out, and when he did train he would cut it short to be in her presence - to bask in the feeling of rightness that came from listening to her speak about her day or watching her perform some menial task - it was something he still couldn't deny.

Setting the gravity as high as it would go, Vegeta began to run through his warm-up routine. As he pushed himself his more committee emotions settled and he began to think of a plan to remove distraction from his life. It was the only way to achieve his goals, and if the woman didn't want him anymore then it was the only way to be sure he wouldn't allow himself to be distracted by her again. He would leave, travel into space and return once he ascended to defeat the androids in one year's time. It was settled, he would remove himself from the equation to avoid temptation.

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Notes: This was sad, their break down in communication over a stupid misunderstanding. Vegeta had been so consumed by letting his instinctual side lead he forgot that language could serve as both a bridge or a barrier and let his ego use it as a barrier. Only two more chapters then the epilogue and this story is complete! I'm sad to see it end but also excited to dig into the snippets I have for the next piece. No telling when it will be done, I have three Beta projects I'm working on and my original work but with me being laid up for over a week I could potentially get a lot more done than normal.


	16. Chapter 16

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

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AN: A bit of citrus in paragraph two here. I hope everyone out there can stay safe and healthy. I feel really lucky that I have basically been isolated from my very isolated community for the past week with my sprained ankle, I had someone go shopping and buy me weeks worth of food before stuff started getting crazy. Last week, before I sprained my ankle, I replenished my first-aid and cleaning supplies. I ventured out on Saturday to get more lunch foods for my son because my governor has suspended school until sometime in April or later depending on how bad it gets. The USA is vastly underprepared for this and the president refused test kits from the WHO that were $20 a kit now we have a free moving population of infected that haven't been tested because we simply don't have the tests available. Yes, I know my profile says I live in Canada. I don't, I'm in a remote part of Wisconsin as far north as one can get in this state and according to my location my account kept switching back to Canada, my son's Lego VIP account does the same thing every time I try to order anything for him. Also, cellular providers T-mobile and Sprint have considered my home to be in Canada for over a decade now so I figured I'd go with the flow, no point in fighting with technology...usually results in broken tech anyway. I will be relocating to a friend's mini-farm this week to help her with her child and dogs so she doesn't lose her mind. We will be living in total isolation for a month or however long this takes. If it gets bad enough I might just move out there we have been joking about it for weeks. I won't stop writing no matter what. My love to you all!

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The next morning Bulma was laying in bed suddenly awake. Opening her eyes to the pillow she was hugging she shut them again immediately fighting away the light of early morning. The bluenette had slept like shit, it felt like she'd only her eyes shut for a minute. Something felt _off_ but she just couldn't place it, what was missing? She shivered and on instinct, she shifted to snuggle into Vegeta. It hit her all at once, Vegeta wasn't with her, swallowing the lump in her throat. Bulma opened her eyes and rolled over to look at the empty half of her bed. She hadn't realized how fond of the prince she had become and she craved the man in every way.

Grabbing the other pillow, _his pillow_, Bulma buried her face into it breathing deeply groaned. It still smelled like Vegeta. The heady scent wrapped around her mind dragging her back to the mornings they had shared together. The first, Tuesday - the day her parents left - had been unbelievable. That was when she had first seen the usually stand-offish prince be _playful_, and gods he was fun. The other three had been heaven as well, his playfulness and care of her weren't any less it just shifted towards more amorous activities as his confidence and familiarity with her body grew.

Wednesday, she had woken to the feeling of his hands gently massaging her thighs and hips. Vegeta had been holding her back to his chest and felt warm all over. The feeling of his strong calloused hands manipulating her muscles made her moan and back her ass into his insanely hard member, and you can guess where that led.

Thursday she woke up first and was using his back as a pillow. When she pulled back worried he might get embarrassed or angry that she was sleeping on him he made the most adorable whimpering sound and followed her in her retreat, snuggling back into her warmth. She kissed his neck and rubbed his back and shoulders marveling at the definition of every cord in the muscles of his back for several minutes. Once awake he spun around and pinned her to the mattress.

Friday, she woke cradled to his side him stroking her hair. much like the first day, they showed together but her father wasn't around to interrupt them.

Saturday, yesterday, she woke to him chortling again but this time he was caressing her stomach and hips. She moaned his name in a half-awake state and he woke her fully when his tongue plundered her core. After the surprise wore off Bulma decided it was her favorite way to wake up.

Today the heiress had planned to return the favor. She had been looking forward to it, he hadn't allowed her to do much more than the occasional palming of him. Almost as if he was uncomfortable with having it touched but she knew he didn't. Wednesday Afternoon she had come home to retrieve a few things from the home lab and had caught him jerking off in the ship. When she approached him and wrapped her hand around him he'd bent her over the pilot's seat he'd been in half a second before. Now she was alone, confused and aching for his touch.

How had it gone so wrong?

Bulma couldn't figure out what had gone wrong, it was as if a switch had flipped in Vegeta's brain after he'd finished. He couldn't get away from her fast enough when normally he didn't want to break their contact. The foreign words that had fallen from his lips were such a sweet caress, warming her heart to the point she was seriously questioning if she was in love with Vegeta. Then he'd been so cold, and the icy look he'd given her before leaving the room reminded her of the way he'd looked at Krillin on Namek. Some invisible wall had dropped down around him and it hurt, more than when she thought he'd rejected her after their first kiss. She struggled to deduce exactly what made him shut down towards her and Bulma could only hope it wouldn't spell the end for her tryst with the alien prince.

Downstairs there wasn't any sign Vegeta had come back inside last night it this morning. Bulma purred herself a cup of coffee and looked out the glass doors to the shop that was sitting in the yard. The windows all glowed red, the Saiyan was inside with the gravity turned on, probably up to 500 - it's new maximum. She wanted to storm in there and yell at him demand he explains himself and for things to go back to the way things were yesterday.

Who was she kidding? Bulma knew whatever it was they had over the past couple of days wasn't going to last. It was just a fling, nothing more. Vegeta was always going to place his training over her, he was always going to be a selfish jerk. She was only supposed to take what he had to give and move on with a better sense of what she deserved from a partner. The prince had given her a taste of how a woman should be treated and that was that. It was time for Bulma to get back out there and meet a normal guy that treated her like a queen. Really, how hard could it be?

Shaking her head, Bulma went to the living room and turned on the news. Most of it was the same old stuff until it got to entertainment news. Image after image flashed across her screen all showing a larger than life Yamcha with none other than Marion on his arm. Apparently they had gone clubbing last night, Yamcha had gotten drunk and made a fool of himself, as usual. Clicking the TV off Bulma leaned forward and groaned. Deciding she wasn't going to be doing any good feeling in the past she finished her coffee and went upstairs to shower. Maybe if she wanted herself she could wash away all her negative feelings.

When her parents returned, Vegeta still had not exited the ship. Her father was exhausted from driving all morning and took a nap. That left Bulma and her mother alone. Panchy set up tea on the balcony, she could tell something was bothering her daughter and figured she would corner the girl to get her to take about it. For a moment they sat in silence that Bulma felt to be increasingly awkward. Bulma knew what her mom was doing and knew it was inevitable that she would come out with her troubles.

"Mom," the bluenette started timidly.

"Yes, dear?" Panchy smiled into her tea as she took a sip.

"I…" Bulma wasn't sure where to start. How did she tell her mom that she was lusting after their house guest? She had all but fallen for him and then he turned away from her? Now, she wanted to move on and meet men, normal earthling men?

"I hope you and Vegeta had fun while we were gone. I must say I'm very happy the two of came together," Panchy said off-handedly.

"What? H-how did you know?" Bulma asked.

"Bulma? That man followed you home like a lost puppy and has hung off your words ever since," Panchy said hoping her daughter would see how it looked from the outside. "Not to mention the way he looks at you when he thinks no one is watching. I bet he is terribly romantic."

"Ha, yeah right," Bulma wasn't comfortable thinking about what her mother had said about how Vegeta's feeling for her had been obvious to the older woman since the day he came home with the bluenette.

"Did you and V have a fight, baby?" Panchy asked.

"Ha!" indignant Bulma opened up about her affair with the prince. "There would have to be some form of communication for a fight. He just shut down and left me to sleep alone last night."

"Oh my," Panchy knew the two would find their way to each other but she wasn't expecting quite that much information.

"He's a selfish jerk, he wouldn't even tell me what was bothering him. One moment he was _sweet_ and gentle, saying… I don't even know what he was saying, he was speaking in Saiyan. Then he completely changed, it was like we were back on Namek and I was nothing to him." Bulma took a sip of her tea trying to gather her thoughts and not say too much about the softer side of the prince.

"Did you ask him what the words meant?" Panchy asked.

"No, I… I didn't ask. I was afraid he'd shut down, just like he did, I didn't want to embarrass him," Bulma now felt a little strange. Had she messed up somehow? here she is with her mother thinking Vegeta was no good at communicating when he had said a lot to her in that language. There were probably all kinds of hints about why he had pulled away.

"Well, he is very sensitive," Panchy added when her daughter paused.

"Vegeta!? Mom, are you feeling okay?"

"Oh yes, I feel fine."

"Okay... Anyway, if he felt comfortable saying things in his native tongue I wanted him to continue to feel comfortable with me until he could come out and say them in English. But it doesn't matter anymore he shut down anyway," Bulma said bitterly.

"Was it romantic? What he said, did it feel romantic?" Panchy asked.

"Yeah, it did… it felt like he was professing his love to me or something, but that's insane he doesn't care about anyone but himself," Bulma said in an attempt to convince herself Vegeta didn't care.

"You know dear, that man has been through so much. He's not going to be comfortable telling you how he feels, he will only show you. He's not as selfish as everyone says, V watered my roses like a asked, he cooked for you, he even got rid of that freeloader Yamcha-"

"Mom! I thought you liked Yamcha?" Bulma yelled.

"Yamcha means well but he was never good enough for you. You haven't been happy with him since you went to college. Vegeta on the other hand... Now, there is a real man. After all the awful things that were done to him, he still holds his head high and isn't too proud to show my baby girl she deserves to be treated like a queen." Bulma blanched and gasped at her mother, how could she know all this? "Bulma, don't think I didn't notice the glow coming off you at breakfast before we left. That was the glow of a woman that spent the night being worshipped."

"Mom!?" Bulma buried her face in her hands.

"I was surprised, Vegeta managed to make you feel so good the first night. But, I shouldn't be surprised he didn't give up, that man is so dedicated," Panchy said off the cuff.

"What?"

"Bulma, wasn't it obvious he was a virgin?" Panchy questioned her daughter.

"Yeah, kinda... I guess…" she didn't realize her mom had been paying that much attention to Vegeta. She had thought him a virgin during their first time having sex, and it had been hard to shake. Bulma just assumed he wasn't because she was uncomfortable with the idea of such a powerful and feared man being innocent of anything. Now that another person was confirming it Bulma couldn't deny the facts any longer. She didn't like this feeling of guilt building in her gut, he gave himself up to her and she treated him like he was just another guy. He had never really been direct about whether or not he had ever been with another woman. He spoke of mates and undying loyalty, but if he saw her that way why did he turn so cold last night. Subconsciously she touched the bruise on her neck where Vegeta had tried to bite her. The romantic pleading words after she'd denied the bite… had this meant more than just a kink? If it was a kink why hasn't he tried it earlier than last night?

"He has been treated horribly before coming here Bulma. Be patient with him, this is all very new to the poor guy," Panchy said, pulling Bulma out of her thoughts.

"I'll try mom," Bulma said, not sure if she was being honest or not. Too much was going on inside her head at the moment, she would try, but whether or not she would put in a good effort had yet to be determined. As she had thought before, it would feel amazing to be with Vegeta, but he seemed to have a lot of baggage and wasn't the best at communicating. Was he really worth the headaches, did she want another man child that couldn't tell her how he was feeling?

Her mom had valid points about Vegeta's past. Thinking about what might have happened to Vegeta made her stomach twist into knots. She already knew he'd been half-starved when he was in his early teens, was that when he was raped? He had said he wouldn't force himself inside of another and that was for scum like Frieza. Was it Frieza that had raped him? If it was that explained why he froze up when faced with the awfulness of that lizard in Namek. And if that was true he hadn't rushed into bed with her, how could he have? He had to struggle with that trauma it's not something one can simply pretend away. This supported her mother's notion that Vegeta had been infatuated with Bulma since he came home with her years ago.

Touching the place where he'd bitten her Bulma wondered again if it had meant more to Vegeta if biting one's partner was something sacred to the Saiyan. He hadn't shown any desire to inflict pain on her before, his every action spoke to the contrary. Then there were his words, they saturated her every thought playing on a loop in her head.

_"Ak-fene tu, tu-ak Navete ve? Ak-fene tu-watare hassine ah twayla habite narr. Ak-habite narr no tuwarre. Tu-ak Navete ve?"_

'Navete', he'd said it a few days ago too, what did that mean?

* * *

Notes: One more chapter before the epilogue, I will do my usual double post tonight. I'm very busy tomorrow cleaning what I can and packing for my move into isolation. Tonight I'm climbing the stairs I **_need_** my own bed.


	17. Chapter 17

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

* * *

AN: Here is chapter two of my double post tonight. Stay Healthy my friends.

* * *

"AAAAAAHHAAAAAAAH!" Vegeta screamed in frustration.

He was laying on the floor in the ship, gravity still at five hundred Gs. Flat on his stomach he roared again into the floor between his arms. He had just finished a rep of ten thousand pushups. This was the third time he had run through his warm-ups, with two full training sessions in between, and he couldn't remove the blue-eyed vixen from his mind.

Bulma consumed his every thought, his every breath, move and action. She was the only thing in this entire fucked up universe that he cared about. Not even becoming a Super Saiyan was as appealing as returning to her and telling her everything he was feeling, burying himself in her depths and marking her as his queen, his everything. Then the reminder if her rejection would surface and his every cell felt like it was being ripped apart, the agony was unbearable. All he wanted was her acceptance. Didn't she know what she meant? Hadn't he shown her, made it obvious? Did the last week mean nothing to her? He squeezed his eyes shut as tears were forced out by the pressure, they dropped into the floor with the force of the high gravity.

Did earthlings understand mating rituals? Did he, did Vegeta even understand the things that the great beast within was telling him. Both wanted her, more than anything, and it drove them. However, Bulma had flat-out rejected his claim - he hadn't told her of its importance but didn't she know, couldn't she feel it? It was embarrassing having to explain. Then she had held him off and used his body for her pleasure while he poured his heart out and then his seed. It made him sick, he felt like a used lump of flesh. Even though he knew she hadn't understood a word of what he'd said he wouldn't let himself be lowered to explain. That was the point of speaking in Saiyan, to hide his feelings and protect himself from the pain of rejection… Hell lot of good that had done, he felt like his heart was being dragged around behind her while she moved about the house.

The prince stayed within the confines of the ship until the elder Briefs returned. Waiting until the women split from the man inside Vegeta would make his move. He needed to leave. The sooner the better. Being near the woman made him crazy, he couldn't, he just couldn't lower himself to tell her everything that had been misunderstood. He knew it was a misunderstanding but his Ego had been kicked into overdrive and he needed to protect himself from further pain. That part of him, the familiar cold empty existence was comforting to him even though his rational mind cried out that he was making a mistake. It was all too late the prince had made up his mind, leaving this rock was the only option. Everything he wanted was moot if he couldn't achieve his goals anyway. This planet, that woman, whatever life he hoped for would all be destroyed in little more than a year if he didn't stop the androids.

Beating his fist into the floor once more Vegeta roared again and tried to put all these hopes aside. They had no place in his life, he didn't deserve them. All he could do was become the strongest and conquer the known universe, maybe then she would see his worth.

What!? No! She rejected him, she needed to come crawling back to him. Beg for his forgiveness. He owed her nothing, he'd already given her everything and she discarded his affection like a used rag. He would do this for himself, no one else.

Lifting himself up from the floor Vegeta made his way to the controls and deactivated the gravity. As the weight lifted from his every fiber he felt like a god, invincible in every way.

Inside Vegeta found the old man in his study. Asleep with a book laid across his chest. Sitting in the seat opposite the professor the prince cleared his throat in an attempt to wake the elderly human.

"Ugh, huh? What?" The doctor mumbled as he stirred awake.

Vegeta waited until the other man opened his eyes and reacquainted himself with his surroundings.

"Oh, Vegeta. Did you need something? More bots I assume?" Dr. Briefs assumed

"No."

"No?" Dr. Briefs was a little surprised, what else could the single-minded Saiyan want? "Well okay, then what is it that I can do for you?"

"I need to get off this rock," the prince said with firm determination. "How long before the ship is ready for take-off?"

"Dear me, I don't rightly know." The growl that came from Vegeta soured the older man to elaborate upon his answer, "What I mean to say is, that after the recent updates it could take at least three days to have the ship ready."

"But?" Vegeta growled knowing that wasn't everything.

"But… if there are any issues the ship might not be ready for launch for the next two weeks." The doctor scratched at the back of his head, "I won't know for sure until I get into all the systems, it will be faster with Bulma's help. I-"

"The woman cannot know about this!" Vegeta hollered.

"Oh dear, well then it could take another week then-"

"I do not care about the time frame, just get it done, without her knowledge. I need to be off this infernal planet as soon as possible."

"Alright Vegeta, I'll take a look in the morning," Dr. Briefs tried to dismiss the irritable prince.

"Now!" Vegeta demanded.

"Yes, yes," the professor sighed, "just let me gather the tools I'll need from the lab." Why he thought he could delay this and enjoy the rest of his day escaped him.

"I will be in the ship to assist how I can," Vegeta said over his shoulder as he exited the room.

Blinking in surprise the doctor looked at Kitty where she rested on his shoulder. Her shared look of surprise confirmed that he had heard the icy prince had offered his assistance. The idea of working with Vegeta, while utterly terrifying, sparked the old professor's curiosity. He had constructed the ship based on Saiyan technology but he hadn't gotten to converse with one about their advanced engineering. The prospect of such a thing put a little prep in the man's step as he gathered his tools and made his way to the shop in the backyard.

* * *

Over the next eight days, Vegeta proved to have an aptitude for more than simply fighting. The prince insisted on being instructed on how to perform the systems checks, and minor repairs to the circuitry. He usually only made one or two mistakes before correcting his errors and steam ahead with all his usual determination. The professor began to admire the younger man for his fast learning and surprising ability to handle delicate circuitry. Dr. Briefs now understood what his wife had been talking about everyone every time she had sung the alien's praises, there were many admirable qualities to the warrior.

Vegeta had to admit the old man was indeed a genius, even though he would never say it aloud Vegeta did admire the man's resourcefulness. He had taken damaged and outdated Saiyan technology and applied it to Earth's most advanced engineering and developed a craft of fairly standard capabilities. Not to mention the genius that was the gravity simulator. This old earthling with a nearly non-existent power level was by and far the most brilliant mind Vegeta had ever had the opportunity to interact with.

Was it any wonder, Bulma was such a brilliant engineer in her own right. The woman had grown up with this man as her sire, and her being the only heir she had carried on that mantle. It was honorable, in this strange Earth way of doing things. Vegeta could only hope that he would survive this next fight and be able to leave a legacy. Sharing in this family's legacy and adding the strength of his bloodline to it wouldn't be so bad.

No. There was nothing here for him why remain? Sparkling cerulean eyes burned in his mind and he groaned in annoyance. The woman would not leave his thoughts.

Maybe he should go to her, one last time? Feel her, breathe her in, spend one last blissful night in her bed wrapped in the warmth of her depths. No, she had rejected him. His drive to claim her, to try again was strong but the prince would not suffer that humiliation again. This had been a constant argument he'd had with himself as the time of his departure grew nearer.

Shaking himself from his thoughts Vegeta ran through the final systems check. If all went smoothly he would be launching at dawn. The woman had made her choice and he would leave, return to destroy the androids and return to space after that. Nothing kept him here, he was free.

"Oh, Vegeta!?" Called Panchy's voice from the hatch doorway.

Not wanting to answer but knowing she would just keep at her annoying song-sing-tone, escalating it until his ears threatened to bleed Vegeta called back.

"What is it now!?" He had been living on the ship to avoid interacting with Bulma. With his absence at all the meals since the senior couple had returned Panchy had begun to come looking for him in the past several days. Pestering him while he'd be busy working, delaying his results and irritating him so he would have to walk away from the delicate work so he didn't fry himself or ruin the ship.

"I know you and Bulma aren't getting along right now but I would like you to attend one last meal with us before you take off, and I won't take no for an answer mister." Panchy placed a hand on her hip and threw it to the side in a manner very similar to her daughter.

"I do not care what you want you blasted woman! Now get out and leave me alone!" Vegeta yelled not even looking at the woman that had invaded his space.

"You will not be a rude guest, I require your presence at dinner," the blonde didn't give Vegeta time to retort before she spun around and exited the spacecraft.

Vegeta threw his head back and slapped his hands to his face while he groaned again. Why couldn't he be allowed to end his time here the way he wished? Why were these women so demanding in a way he found it difficult to refuse? How had the woman known he was leaving? would the doctor have told her or had she been guessing and now that he hadn't denied it her suspicions were confirmed? Shit, now the bluenette would know and make dinner even more uncomfortable. He would go to this stupid dinner and eat his fill and return to bed, he didn't have to interact with Bulma or anyone else for that matter.

* * *

Dinner was being served on the balcony, something Vegeta was thankful for when he realized he would be seated next to Bulma. The fresh air would help to dilute her scent when it threatened to tickle his mind and take him back through the intense week they'd had exploring the other's body. that didn't stop him from leaning closer to her and breathing deeply as he took his seat, there was something different about it. The jasmine and lemon of her were still there, the lavender soap she used was a dull note leftover from her morning shower but there was something more, a spicy note tied in with her natural one. the scent reminded him of her smell after they would mate but that didn't make any sense.

How could his smell mix into her's a week after they'd last coupled?

This question plagued him throughout dinner. A few times he felt Bulma's eyes on him but he never looked at her, being this near to her was more painful than he had thought it would be. He wanted to take her in his arms and tell her how much he wanted her, how much he wanted her to accept him as her mate. but he refused to beg or offer himself to her again, if she wanted to fix this she would have to come to him. even if she didn't understand his words and offer she could at least ask, he wouldn't explain without being prompted.

The family remained at the table all sharing in a glass of wine as Vegeta finished his meal, all except Bulma. Panchy got up to clear a few empty dishes and when she returned she draped her arms both Bulma and Vegeta's shoulders and pulled them closer together as she leaned over. Catching both by surprise as Dr. Breifs pulled out a camera Panchy's words stunned Vegeta and made Bulma blush profusely.

"Smile V, you're going to be a daddy!" Panchy sang as Dr. Briefs blinded the three with flashes.

"Mom!"

"What?"

Bulma and Vegeta said at the same time.

That was it! That was why his scent seemed to be mixed into hers, she was carrying...carrying his heir.

Looking over at the woman that consumed his thoughts Vegeta noted her face was the color of the sky on his home planet. It softened his gaze and for a brief moment when their eyes met Vegeta allowed the wonder he felt at the miracle she was giving him show in his eyes. Then the camera flash brought him back to reality, there were others around and she had refused him as a mate. Even if that child she carried shared his DNA it wasn't really his, he would have no claim. A second later Vegeta was gone and Panchy fell forward into his seat.

* * *

Notes: Well this was the final chapter loves. Only the epilogue is left.


	18. Chapter 18

I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

* * *

"What do you want!?" Vegeta yelled when the blue-haired woman's face popped up on the com screen. The prince had only answered because he was actually piloting the ship through an asteroid belt and the incessant beeping of the com system was distracting him. He had declined the call twice but she was being persistent as usual.

"Well, it's nice to see you too Vegeta," Bulma said irritated. "It's been months, and you haven't answered a single call you jerk."

"Because I came out here to be left alone!" Vegeta yelled while he tried to concentrate on avoiding the obstacles outside the ship. "The only thing that matters is my training, my ascending, you should know that woman."

"Is that so? Well, then I guess you don't care about your son?" Bulma asked and smirked wickedly when the shock hit Vegeta's face.

It quickly faded as he croaked out a hissed, "What?"

"That's right, I gave birth to our son, three weeks ago," Bulma said triumphantly now that she finally had his attention. "He's healthy and very strong. Stronger than he-"

"FUCK!" Vegeta yelled cutting her off as alarms blared through the ship. In his distraction, Vegeta had flown straight into a meteor shower at the edge of the belt. The ship had been struck several times and was now hurtling towards a dead looking planet.

"Excuse me!?" Bulma yelled back.

"I have no time for your babbling woman," he replied as he ended the call and braced himself for impact.

Bulma Had tried to be nice, at first. Then she was so mad he had hung up on her until she remembered the panic in Vegeta's eyes. He had looked like he was piloting the craft. Curiosity drove her to check on the craft through the monitoring system. Guilt flooded her when all the red flashed across the screen. The hull was damaged in multiple places, landing gear was malfunctioning and several critical systems for life support and flight control were struggling to gain minimum power levels. Oh no, had she interrupted him while he was in some space ship battle? Over the next several days she closely monitored the systems and was relieved Vegeta's life signature was still on board. over the weeks she was happy to see he was slowly fixing the hull and rerouting power to the critical systems. Her father had told her all about teaching the prince to repair the ship enough to patch it up for a return journey.

Knowing the battle with Dr. Gero's evil androids was a few short months away Bulma set to work building armor for her Saiyan prince. They hadn't spoken during her pregnancy, a few short arguments here and there but no cordial communication. every now and then when she would say something particularly hurtful it would be there in his eyes again, that softness. It was always quickly covered by hurt then glossed over with his anger. The photo in her infant son's room served to remind her how much she and their son meant to the grouchy prince. She knew he would be back and no matter what he said it would be for them, his mate and child.

* * *

Vegeta wasn't sure how long he'd been unconscious when the blaring alarm woke him. His head was splitting and there was blood on his glove when he pulled it away from his right temple. Red and yellow lights were flashing in the cabin and Vegeta fumbled around in the controls to shut off the alarm and the lights. Darkness was a good thing, quite was what he needed to think clearly. Once silence fell within the ship Vegeta rested his head back, eyes closed and waited for the sharp pain in his head to lessen.

The prince tried to remember what had happened. He'd crashed into some lifeless planet, after encountering a meteor storm in the asteroid belt he'd been navigating through. Why, why had he crashed? Bulma! There had been a call, the woman, Bulma had called him again. This time he'd answered and she'd looked tired, then she had told him here child was a male.

_"I gave birth to our son." _Her voice echoed in his mind.

Why would she consider him to be a part of this? It was her that has rejected him after all. And why did he feel this way, a weight was crushing his heart while pride was filling his every cell. He had a son, a boy to train and teach about what it was to be a Saiyan.

Exciting the shop Vegeta surveyed the landscape. The dark rusty brown dirt blew across the dry ground. The sky was an inky black with the stars of the universe painted across it. Planets in this solar system stuck out in vibrant contrast to the dark side beyond. The air was thin and freezing. This was indeed a dead planet.

Turning around Vegeta took in the damage to the ship. The landing gear had deployed during the crash and three of the boots were destroyed. Several panels were damaged and there was a crack in one of the windows. It could've been worse but he was stranded until he could get it all fixed. Inspecting the landing boots more thoroughly Vegeta discovered the would need to rig another way to balance the craft for takeoff if he ever intended to leave this planet.

After repairing the exterior Vegeta's patience began to wear thin. He had confused a part of the circuiting stormed off into the desert 's wastes. Tired from lack of sleep Vegeta and mental exertions repairing half the tiny wires in the ship, frustrated by the lack of training he'd done since crash landing the Saiyan fired a ki blast at a cliff to blow off some steam. Then he screamed out a roar of frustration at his perceived failings.

As his roar echoed through the canyon he'd wandered into the wall he had shot crumbled from its weakened state, burying Vegeta in the rubble. The suffocating darkness and choking dust that filled his lungs made the Saiyan panic. He couldn't die like this, alone on a dead rock halfway across the galaxy from his mate and child. If he didn't make it out of this they would surely die, the androids would destroy their home and hunt them into the ground. As his panic rose so did the images of Bulma's being murdered every way imaginable played on a loop in his mind. Tears filled his eyes as his need to survive his need to see his family survive overwhelmed him. He couldn't die here like this.

Squeezing his eyes shut Vegeta roared with every last ounce of his ki and felt the incredible wave of energy burst forth from his center. The rocks that had once buried him in his early grave were sent hurtling away as the power engulfed him. A golden halo of ki formed around his entire being. The roar bright the canyon crumbling down around the Saiyan as his hair flashed a golden platinum blonde, once, twice. As he crescendoed and gave one final push through his call the power clung to him and merged into his own. Opening talk colored eyes Vegeta gasped at the color of the ki that flowed around him, grabbing a first full of his hair he brought it down into view, it was blonde. He'd done it! Vegeta the Prince of Saiyans had finally become a Super Saiyan.

* * *

Three months later Vegeta finally had the ship ready to go. After becoming a Super Saiyan the prince had spent more time training in the harsh environment on the desperate planet. It was essential when he would lose his patience and temper with the ship's repairs. Now he was ready to get off this dead world and return to Earth.

Takeoff went smoothly from the crag where Vegeta had balanced the ship. He had been unable to repair the landing gear instead used parts to fix other damaged systems around the ship. The power was diverted from them to boost the engines to get off that terrible dead rock. Now that he was a Super Saiyan he could return to Earth and defeat those androids. He would guarantee the safety of the child and the woman and leave to find glory or in space.

Vegeta landed, touching down outside the city. Okay, he crashed into a hillside leaving a crater the size of Capsule Corp.

Stepping out into the weak another atmosphere of the planet Vegeta took a deep breath as he felt out with his ki. He could feel it before he even distinguished the other three in the dwelling. The child was indeed of his blood.

Launching into the sky Vegeta raced to the Brief residence. He had a few short hours until the androids would appear and he would see the child. At least once, he would see his _son_, the woman had called the boy his son.

Setting down on the balcony Vegeta entered the house quietly. They never locked that fucking door, but not many knew that anyway. Feeling with his ki he made his way down the hall to the room that sat across the hall from the one that still held his scent, though faint. He hesitated as he reached for the doorknob. It's was just a child, an infant still, why was he so fucking terrified!? Clenching his first he turned the knob and pushed open the door.

The room was illuminated by a light on the nightstand near the crib. The light cast images of stars and galaxies on the ceiling and walls in a soft glowing hue that reminded Vegeta of moonlight. Stepping inside, Vegeta noticed a chair in the corner that was saturated in the woman's scent. A high dresser on the opposite side from the nightstand on that nightstand beside the light was a picture frame. The photo in it was the perfectly captured image of Vegeta looking at Bulma and Panchy hugging them both. Everything carried the woman's scent and he allowed himself to get lost in that smell that was uniquely Bulma.

A small movement in the crib drew his attention and he stepped up to look down on the sleeping child. A soft lavender curl stuck it from under the hat on the child's head. A strong brow that crested the child's face, a brow not unlike Vegeta's and his father's. This brought a prideful smirk to Vegeta's face. Surprise was added to his expression as the child's eyes opened and Vegeta was struck by a familiar cobalt blue. Sinking to his knees Vegeta brought his face closer to the bars and peered at the child as it began crooning and squealing. The prince watched his son as the volume of three child's calls grew.

Vegeta heard footsteps and the muffled voice of Bulma down the hall. The Prince Saiyans rushed from the room and in his wake he heard the child's crooning become a cry, it squeezed his heart and he hesitated before closing the door. He could hear Bulma loud and clear, her gentle voice tired and soothing until she gasped and Vegeta knew he'd forgotten to close the door. Shutting the sliding door Vegeta hopped to the top of the house.

"I'm coming baby, I hear you, momma's coming sweet baby," Bulma called softly from her doorway down the hall.

Noticing the door was open Bulma turned on the lights and gasped at what she saw. The door had two filthy streaks the size and width of two masculine fingers drawn down it towards the dirty knob. On the floor were several footprints leading to the infant's crib. Walking into the room cautiously Bulma's heart raced when she noticed the dirty gloved handprint on the edge of the crib. Looking down she saw two teardrop shapes staining the carpet with ash, dirt and dried blood - a man had kneeled there moments ago.

"Vegeta?" Bulma scooped the crying baby up and rushed to the balcony where she looked up into the night sky, hoping to catch the golden glow of a Super Saiyan. Returning her now sleeping son to his crib, Bulma went into Vegeta's room and pulled the new full flight suit and armor out of his wardrobe. It was her best work yet and she wanted to send Vegeta into battle with the best armor she could craft. Out on the balcony again Bulma rested the armor against the railing and the folded flight on top with fresh boots and gloves.

"Vegeta!?" Bulma called out into the night. "I improved the armor for you, I'll leave it out here." Bulma turned to go back inside but stopped looking up to the roof she called out, "Your room is still there for you... You're welcome to it." Bulma went back to bed, knowing he wouldn't show himself to her. That was fine, she would be there in the morning to introduce her son to all her friends.

* * *

Notes: Well that's all folks! I'll be posting the next segment in a few weeks I'm still working on writing it all down.

Stay safe and stay healthy friends! We can get through this if we restrict our movements around our communities.


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